The Warrior Within
by OmniStrife
Summary: Something's happening to his dearest Vincent, but he can't help if he doesn't know what the problem is. Will he be the one to find the lost warrior within? If only Vincent could forget his sins... CloudVin, YAOI, M for violence, adult scenes, language
1. Prologue

**A/N:** This will be the _first_ and _only_ author's note that is this lengthy. I promise to shut up and just write from now on... well, you'll get little notes here and there, but I swear none of them will be this long. I just need to get all the formal and legal stuff out of the way. Plus, I wanted to kind of give you all a little bit of the setup information. Okay?

So this here is my first story. The main pairing is Cloud/Vincent, but Sephiroth and someone else (not telling who! ^_^) will get their turns as well. The so-called "secret character" is also a guy, because, I mean, come on. This is a yaoi slash fic, people. If that bugs you, then don't read it. But don't worry, he's not an OC or anything. I'm not fond of OC's. This _is_ fan fiction. I come here to read and write about the characters I like. Though that doesn't mean that they are the only characters on the planet. I did make up some people, but they are extremely minor characters, and have nothing to do with the overall plot.

Also, the time setting is a little weird. It's post-game, and technically post-AC, but we're going to just ignore the fact that the events from AC even happened. It's four years after the game, but there wasn't any Kadaj, or Yazoo, or Loz, or anything. I don't feel I know the movie well enough to write about it, so I didn't include it. However, some of the character descriptions go along with what you would see in AC. Cloud's wolf accesories (I dunno what else to call 'em, lol) and his motorcycle, Fenrir (though I don't actually call it that) are included in this fic, for example.

I am usually pretty egotistical when it comes to my writing but I suppose I could _stand_ to hear what everyone _else_ thinks. ^_^ No but seriously I would love reviews. I'm just giving everyone a head's up that I might get a little internally bitchy but it will just make me write better so please be honest!

**Disclaimer: The author does not own any part of Final Fantasy VII, including any characters or places mentioned anywhere. The author also is not expecting to gain anything financially by submitting this story.**

**Rating and Warnings:** It's not rated M because it's full of happy puppies and pretty flowers, people. Language, adult themes, probably some violence. Consider this fair warning for people who dislike or are too young for yaoi. Don't come complaining to me about this story's contents. I warned you and it's your fault if you either didn't read the warning, or read the warning and still read the story you _knew_ you weren't going to like.

* * *

**The Warrior Within**

**Prologue**

Any other morning that looked like this one would have been welcomed by the golden-haired beauty as he awoke. It was a typical storybook morning: clear, blue sky, birds singing, grass fresh with dew… why couldn't it have been raining? It would have been so much easier to wake up and feel miserable if it were raining. No, this day practically _begged_ for giddiness and joy.

The young man refused to open his eyes; if he opened his eyes he would have to give up his misery.

_Why must I endure this? Why did today have to come?_

He lay in his bed, motionless, still looking at the darkness of his own closed eyes. Something tickled his cheek and he absentmindedly rubbed the spot. He sighed, fully intent on just rolling over and going back to sleep, when he again felt something tickle his cheek. His eyebrows furrowed as he rubbed it away a little more aggressively this time, trying to rid himself of the tingling sensation. He grabbed his sheet and yanked it over his shoulder as he growled and turned over rather violently.

The tickle came on his left ear now. The blond refused to acknowledge it in hopes that it would just go away.

It did after a minute and he was relieved. He cleared his mind of everything and just concentrated on sleep.

* * *

**A/N:** Okay, that's it for now. This sorry excuse for a prologue is really sort of a practice run, since this is my first time doing this and all. I do plan to post more. I've got a ton of stuff. Believe me, it's going to get better. I just wanted something to start it off. And I wanted to see if my HTML stuff would work. Again, I really, really apologize for the crapload of stuff in this first little thing here. Really, from here on, it's mostly just story. ^^;

WARNING FOR NEXT CHAPTER: It starts off with a slight lemon and some fluff. I know. I'm annoying. It sort of makes an interesting start for the story. At least I thought so. By the way, don't feel obligated to review just yet because this is nothing compared to what's coming. I mean, if you really _want_ to review, go right ahead. I don't mind. Remember though, I'm currently equipped with a Fire Ring and a Fire Armlet, so I am totally protected against Flames!


	2. Wake Up Call

Yay! Chapter one! Yeah, I definitely didn't want to wait to post this so here I am posting it. Here goes...

**Disclaimer: The only part of FFVII I own is a copy of the game. Plain and simple.**

* * *

**Chapter 1-Wake-up Call**

He had just drifted into that delicate stage between light sleep and deep sleep; that stage in which one is not quite unaware of the waking world, but has already started the descent into deep slumber, when he thought he felt a warm presence on his neck. Unsure if it was a dream or not, he did not protest it. If it was a dream, it was extremely realistic. It wasn't quite a tickle, like before… it felt sort of… nice.

_What could that be?_ he wondered in his half-conscious confusion. It was something soft… and moving, and… wet? He was gradually waking up and little by little coming to recognize the feeling traveling around the exposed flesh of his neck and moving… moving… moving up… to his ear.

He smiled slightly. He couldn't help it.

Oh… wait… there was something else now… something warm on his lower back… also traveling, but slower. Slowly moving over his back and around his left hip and to his stomach…

_What a strange dream…_ he thought as his smile grew and he subconsciously nuzzled into the warmth of unknown sources. He wasn't sure—he was too busy concentrating on that warmth—but he thought he felt his bed shift a little.

Suddenly there was more warmth. All over. It seemed to be surrounding him. Something very solid moved closer to him and he cuddled into its heat. He felt hot air blow over his ear and he twitched a little from the sensation.

"Good morning, Cloud," was what the hot air said.

"Mmm… good mrnph…" Cloud mumbled into his pillow.

He still had not opened his eyes and was somewhat asleep as he felt his head being gently turned by something applying pressure to the right side of his chin… fingers?

A smile played on his lips as he felt them covered by the same warmth and softness that was previously roaming his neck. He now recognized the feelings to be coming from another pair of lips.

Realization dawned on him and he was now no longer asleep at all, though he wasn't quite awake either. He cracked his eyes open when the lips moved away from his. He turned over to look at the most beautiful face he'd ever seen. Rugged, yet handsome. Scarred, yet seemingly flawless, and framed by the most amazingly black hair he'd ever seen on a human being. A pair of crimson eyes sat in the middle over a petite but masculine nose and those glorious lips…

Those lips were smiling… no, it wasn't just his lips that were smiling. His whole face was smiling. Cloud wanted to taste that smile. He wasn't sure how that was possible, but he wanted to taste it nonetheless. Cloud lifted himself so that he could press his own lips against that smile again and felt it spread to his own face, into his eyes, which fluttered open, as the contact was broken.

"Hi," Cloud said, a little breathlessly.

The beautiful face chuckled. "Hi, yourself."

Cloud laid back against his pillow, looking up at the older man, turquoise eyes meeting crimson ones. "What are you doing here, Vincent?"

Vincent leaned over and placed a quick kiss on Cloud's lips, only moving away enough to breathe an answer over them. "Kissing you good morning."

Cloud sighed contentedly and closed his eyes. "Oh."

Vincent grinned. "I could not miss your birthday."

Cloud's eyes shot open as he remembered what day it was and he groaned as he pulled the covers over his head. "Uuuugggghhh… why?" he whined.

Vincent laughed and pulled the covers off of Cloud's face. "It must happen sometime."

"Noooooo…" Cloud whined again, trying to pull the covers back over his face, but the other man wouldn't allow it.

"Come on. How shall I admire the hotness that is you if you hide under the sheets?"

"You mean the not-so-hotness that is _old_?"

He gave up on the covers and just rolled over instead, turning his back to the raven-haired man. Vincent smirked at him, even though he couldn't see it. "Cloud. You're twenty-five. Get over it."

Cloud whipped his head back in Vincent's direction, mock anger in his expression. "'_Get over it_'! Do you know what this means? It means I'm not a child anymore! I no longer have the excuse of being just a dumb kid for when I mess things up! I'll be expected to actually think before I do something! I'll be forced to suffer consequences! _And_ this means that I was born two and a half decades ago! I can measure my life in more than two decades! Ahh… this is horrible…"

Vincent watched in amusement as Cloud hid under the covers again and continued to ramble about how he wasn't a kid anymore. Honestly, he thought it was adorable. He was glad he got to be the first to see it before the par—

"And I **_don't_** want a party!" came the outburst from under the covers.

Vincent had to hold in his giggle for fear that the wrong action might give away the secret. "So you've said many times."

Cloud whipped the covers down from his face and stared into Vincent's eyes. "I **_don't._**"

Vincent smiled and leaned on Cloud's chest, resting his head just under Cloud's chin. "Well, then we'll just have to have a celebration of our own."

Cloud whimpered as he felt Vincent's finger slide down his bare chest, tracing small circles until he reached the elastic of Cloud's pajama pants. Vincent stopped there and leaned up on his right elbow. He nuzzled his face into Cloud's neck and the blond couldn't help but giggle as Vincent's breath tickled him. Vincent kissed Cloud's neck lightly, running his tongue over the younger's Adam's apple and grinning as he let a quiet moan slip out. The trail continued until Vincent reached Cloud's mouth where he captured the blond's lips in a deep kiss. Cloud's fingers tangled themselves in Vincent's mass of raven locks as he pulled the older man closer to him.

Cloud felt the gunman's soft lips part and followed his lead. Tongues greeted each other and began to move with each other, dancing together almost ritually. Cloud almost gasped as he felt fingers graze his right nipple, but couldn't because of his mouth's current occupation. He shivered instead and Vincent reveled in the reactions he was causing in the beautiful youth. He broke the contact of their kiss and worked his way down instead, allowing his mouth to replace those fingers. He could tell the young swordsman was fighting a yelp when his teeth took the place of his lips while his hands roamed Cloud's waist.

He wasn't surprised to find a bulge under the thin fabric that covered Cloud from the hips down. He was having a similar response to their activities. His mouth continued to work on Cloud's nipple as his right hand, the only human hand he had since his other hand was enveloped in metal due to an old experiment, found its way to the hem of Cloud's pajama pants.

"Vincent…" Cloud panted, not really intending to say anything in particular.

Vincent grinned and reached his hand under the fabric, wrapping his fingers around the prize he found there. Cloud hissed in a breath, unable to concentrate on anything in particular, trying to differentiate between Vincent's mouth on his chest and hand in his pants. The blond's hands moved from Vincent's hair to his back, grabbing hold of the gunman's black shirt and attempting to pull it off. At least that was something he could wrap his mind around. However, Vincent did not allow the younger man to obtain his goal. Cloud was surprised to find both of his hands being held over his head by a metallic arm.

"Oh no you don't…" came the sarcastic grumble from the older man.

"But… but…" Cloud could not finish his sentence as Vincent began massaging faster between his legs. The limited use of his hands drove him mad as he came closer and closer to release. The world seemed to suddenly explode as he came, and he really didn't mean to let out a yell, but his voice had a mind of its own.

Vincent ran his hand up Cloud's stomach and over his chest as he kissed his way up to the youth's mouth. He brushed his lips over Cloud's and chuckled.

"Wouldn't you kill to wake up like _that_ every day?"

Cloud was out of breath, but he smiled and looked at that face again, hovering over his own. He didn't answer but lifted his head off the pillow to touch his lips to the other man's, immediately flopping back onto his pillow as soon as the kiss ended.

* * *

"So what would you like for your birthday?" Vincent asked as Cloud walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table.

Cloud folded his arms on the table and rested his forehead on them before he spoke. "Yesterday."

Vincent smiled at the response. "You know you can't have yesterday."

"Doesn't mean I don't want it."

The way the blond was sitting, it looked like the mass of spiky, sunshine-colored hair was doing the speaking, and it was thoroughly amusing. "What would you _really_ like?"

The hair mumbled something.

"What?"

Cloud lifted his head and sat upright. "I dunno. A bowl of cereal, for starters."

Vincent smirked as he turned around and opened the cupboard behind him. He pulled out a bowl and a box of Corn Flakes and set them in front of Cloud on the table. He then walked to the refrigerator, opened it and pulled out the milk. He grabbed a spoon out of a drawer on his way back to the table. Cloud had already poured the cereal into the bowl. Vincent poured his milk for him and dipped the spoon into the bowl, taking a bite for himself before setting the spoon back into the bowl for Cloud.

"I have some errands to run today," Cloud stated through a mouthful of cereal.

"All right," came the simple answer from Vincent.

Cloud continued, even though Vincent didn't request to know more. "I'm going to get the Buster Sword polished, and Barret owes me some gil so I figured I'd run to his house to get that." He took another bite from his cereal. "And Tifa called earlier saying she wanted to see me, though I can't imagine why."

Vincent knew. "Perhaps she just wants to see you on your birthday. She does love you very much you know."

The blond frowned. He knew Tifa was in love with him. She always had been. "She still doesn't know."

Vincent sat in the chair across the table from Cloud. "About you?"

Cloud took another bite of his cereal and nodded his head, staring at the tabletop.

"Cloud, you have known her for a very long time. She will not think less of you because of your relational preferences."

Cloud sighed between bites. "I know."

"Then why can you not tell her?"

He looked up into scarlet eyes. "It's just awkward."

Vincent looked at his lover for a few seconds before a slightly sarcastic grin spread over his face and he began laughing quietly. Cloud looked at him confusedly. "What's so funny?"

"Heh… personally, I don't know how she could have missed it."

Cloud put his spoon down in his bowl. "Are you saying I'm obvious?"

Vincent laughed out loud, which was rather rare from the dark man. "Well, _I_ knew right away."

Cloud was a little annoyed and it showed in his tone. "And how did you know?"

Vincent rose gracefully, still laughing lightly, and walked around the table to stand behind Cloud. He leaned over and whispered in Cloud's ear. "Because of the way you looked at me. Because of the way you spoke to me. Because of the way you tried to show off when I was near-"

"I did _not_ show off!"

Vincent ignored the interruption and slid his human arm over Cloud's shoulder and down his chest instead. "_And_ because of the way you allowed me to do this." He kissed just under Cloud's ear, teasing the lobe with his teeth, while sliding his hand up and down the blond's bare chest. Cloud's mouth fell open slightly and his eyes half closed as he slowly turned his head toward the raven-haired gunman. Vincent's mouth followed the movement until their lips met. They parted and Vincent smiled. "See?"

Cloud pouted. "Not fair."

Vincent wrapped his arms around Cloud's shoulders. "Even if you are so obvious, you should still tell her."

Cloud didn't answer. He didn't know what exactly was keeping him from telling Tifa about Vincent and himself. True, she was his best friend since childhood, and they had been through a lot together, but there was just something about admitting his sexuality to her that scared him.

He was distracted from his thought process when Vincent started nibbling on his ear again. Cloud propped his arm up on his knee, supported by his elbow, and ran his fingers through Vincent's ebony hair. He really loved the feeling of the dark locks sliding over his fingertips. He had no idea how Vincent kept his hair so soft. He never seemed to really be concerned enough to take proper care of it, aside from washing it every day.

Vincent stopped with Cloud's ear and kissed him quickly on the cheek. "You should go get dressed."

Cloud let go of Vincent's hair as the gunman straightened himself to standing. Cloud also stood and picked up his bowl that contained nothing but milk and put it in the sink. He disappeared into his room, leaving Vincent in the middle of the kitchen leaning against the counter. When he emerged he was wearing black cargo pants that hugged his hips but were baggy toward the bottom and his trademark sleeveless, black sweater. On his feet were his ever-present, clunky combat boots that he'd had since his SOLDIER days.

Vincent eyed him. "Don't you look cute."

Cloud smirked at him as he strapped on his shoulder guard. "I'll bet you say that to all the boys."

"Hmm… only one that I can think of."

Cloud walked across the kitchen, passing Vincent to grab his sword that was leaning next to the door of his apartment. Vincent had to grin as he found himself checking out Cloud's butt as he leaned over to pick up the giant five-foot sword and then swing it around over his head in a few circles before sliding it into its sheath and strapping it to his back. Cloud had a cute butt. Vincent had always thought so.

Cloud turned around with a perplexed look on his face as he eyed the room as if looking for something. He walked back across the kitchen and into his bedroom. Vincent cocked an eyebrow as he heard papers being rummaged through and different objects being picked up and put aside, opened and closed. Cloud emerged from the bedroom scratching his head. He huffed a short sigh and turned to his left and walked into his living room, from which came more sounds of the same nature accompanied by some soft swearing and a, "Where the hell are they?"

Vincent was confused for a moment, but then his hand brushed over something that was behind him on the counter: Cloud's keys. One can't drive a motorcycle without keys. One can't lock or unlock one's door without keys. Vincent smirked as he picked up the keys, seemingly without movement, as per usual, and slipped them into his back pocket. He rarely ever put things in his pockets, especially his back pockets, so it felt a little funny to him, but it was also very unlikely the keys would be looked for in that particular spot, which made it worth the discomfort.

Cloud stepped into the kitchen looking a little annoyed, his left hand on his hip and his right foot a little further forward than his left; his SOLDIER stance. He'd never gotten out of the habit of standing that way.

Vincent almost laughed. "Looking for something?"

Cloud detected the humor in his tone, even though Vincent was trying desperately to hide it. He immediately knew the reason for it. "Give me my keys."

"What keys?"

Oh, he wanted to play _that_ game, did he? "The ones you're hiding."

Vincent's voice was calm. Vincent's voice was always calm. "I have no keys."

Cloud scoffed at that remark and slowly approached the dark-haired man. "I know you do," he said a little seductively.

Vincent's lips twitched into a small smile. He stared Cloud in the eyes as he spread his legs and held his arms out to either side. "Go ahead and search me."

Cloud raised an eyebrow at the notion of getting to feel Vincent up and an evil gleam flickered in his mako blue eyes. He approached the gunman, trying to be… professional, he supposed. He started under Vincent's arms, patting down his sides, down his hips, down either leg. Vincent watched, amused. Cloud straightened himself to look into Vincent's blood colored eyes.

Vincent returned to standing normally. "See? I have nothing."

Cloud grinned evilly. "I'm not done yet."

Vincent let out a small gasp as Cloud's hands found their way into his front pockets. It seemed like the blond was purposely taking his time rummaging around.

It seemed that way because he _was_ trying to take his sweet time, rubbing Vincent's thighs through the lining.

Cloud slowly pulled his hands out of the gunman's pockets. "Hmm… nothing in here…" Cloud slid his hands around Vincent's hips and brought his face centimeters from the older man's. Vincent could feel Cloud's breath on his cheek as he whispered in his ear. "Let's check the back."

The gunman couldn't say anything. His voice box just decided to stop working at that moment. Cloud's hands slithered to Vincent's back, slowly moving downward. Vincent hissed in a breath as Cloud's slightly cold hands made their way into his pants, _not_ his pockets.

Cloud chuckled. "Heh… oops, missed…"

Vincent managed a whisper. "You did that on purpose."

"Maybe," the younger stated nonchalantly as he let his hands linger for a minute. He moved his hands out of Vincent's pants and kissed him lightly on the mouth. Vincent stopped paying attention to Cloud's hands because his tongue suddenly became _much_ more interesting. Cloud smiled over Vincent's lips and pulled back very quickly, leaving Vincent still puckered up, almost looking as if he had been kissing the air.

The older of the two slumped his shoulders. "Hey!"

Cloud dangled the keys in front of Vincent's face. "Got what I wanted."

"Yeah… well…" Vincent stuck his tongue out at Cloud, an extremely uncharacteristic gesture from the gunman, and it made Cloud laugh. He had noticed that Vincent seemed to do things that were very uncharacteristic when Cloud was in the presence of the usually stoic and withdrawn former Turk.

Cloud pocketed the keys and turned toward the door. "I'll be back later."

Vincent only nodded and Cloud just caught his smirk before he walked out and closed the door behind him. _I think I **would** kill to wake up like that every morning…_

* * *

*wipes forehead* Phew! Glad that's over with. I guess this is what you get when you give a Final Fantasy lover Bronchitis, four days of doing nothing but sitting in bed, and a laptop. Okay, _now_ I want reviews. Please? I'll give each reviewer a cookie! (Who says bribery isn't the best policy?) Don't worry, there is more coming!


	3. Journey

Yep. Chapter 2. I have to confess that I actually have written up to Chapter 5, but I'm not going to share it all at once. I will not post chapters unless I have finished the chapter that's three chapters ahead of the chapter I'm posting. I dunno why I'm doing it that way, but I am. Just a rule to keep me writing, I guess.

**Disclaimer: Yeah, I own Final Fantasy VII. It's sitting in my PS2 right now, waiting to be played!**

* * *

**Chapter 2 - Journey**

Cloud turned the key in the motorcycle and revved the engine, causing the bike to purr musically. Cloud leaned the bike to the right so he could kick up the kickstand on the left side. Settling back down, he pulled a pair of sunglasses over his eyes before peeling out of his garage, nearly hitting a squirrel on his way out. A squirrel in Junon? He dismissed it and just kept riding, too wrapped up in the awesomeness of his bike to care. He made his way down the main street of the upper level of the city, which had been cleaned up considerably since the Sephiroth fiasco. It was no longer a grimy, polluted town and everyone from the lower level had moved up, turning the lower half of the city into a sort of natural beach resort. It had made the city a lot of money, which was then used to fix up the upper level and employ those who were a little short of cash. Cloud liked it because it wasn't quite so out of the way as, say, Nibelheim, but it also wasn't as city-like as Midgar was. It was a nice balance of city and country, complete with every store one might need to survive and filled with people who were nice enough to be considered neighbors, not just the people who lived next door. People waved to Cloud as he coasted down Main Street, and he waved back, offering a killer smile that made the hearts of all the little girls in town melt.

Now, _there_ was something funny. Cloud thought it was hilarious that he was the local heartthrob among the pre-teen and teenage girls in town. _If they only knew…_ he mused as he approached the Heli-Taxi that would take him and his bike to the outer edges of Junon. He skidded to a halt in front of the Heli-Taxi, his bike spinning around about ninety degrees. He planted a foot on the cement to steady the bike and keep it from falling over as the pilot of the Heli-Taxi bounded out of the cockpit with a huge grin plastered on his face.

"Why, _helloooo_ there, Mr. Strife! Taking a trip to Outer City?"

Cloud removed his sunglasses and coolly pulled a piece of cloth from his pocket to clean them. "You betcha."

The pilot actually clapped his hands a couple of times excitedly and Cloud cocked an eyebrow at him. _At least I don't act like that. Who does he think he is, calling me obvious…_ Cloud's lips twitched into a small grin as he suppressed a chuckle, thinking of the day's… earlier activities. Cloud turned the ignition to 'off' and pulled the keys out of the bike. He gracefully climbed off the machine, kicking the kickstand down and leaning the bike on it.

"You know this thing is _very_ important to me, right?" He asked the pilot as he placed his sunglasses on top of his head. That eyebrow went up again, this time in amusement, as the pilot nodded emphatically, looking as if he was trying not to drool. Cloud wondered if he was trying not to drool over the bike… or over him. That thought amused him. He seemed to be the local heartthrob with everyone in town, not just the little girls.

He watched as the pilot lowered a platform from the Heli-Taxi with the press of a button and then very gingerly took the motorcycle by the handlebars and loaded it onto the platform, securing it tightly with a series of straps and chains. Cloud examined the pilot's work and nodded his head in satisfaction. The pilot held the button down again and the platform rose back into the Heli-Taxi and disappeared behind a door.

Cloud was about to climb into the passenger side of the Heli-Taxi when he felt a light tap on his left arm. He looked in the direction of the tug and saw a rather pretty brown-haired girl. She looked to be about seventeen, and had rather interesting blue green eyes. She was blushing, but stood confidently, a kind of confidence that can only come from a pretty seventeen-year-old girl.

"Mr. Strife…" she started.

Cloud lowered himself back to the ground and leaned casually against the Heli-Taxi. He kind of liked being a little bit of a celebrity. "It's just Cloud."

She grinned excitedly for a moment before regaining control of herself. "Okay. Umm… I was wondering if… well, actually, my friends over there were wondering… if you… have a girlfriend?" She blurted the last part out a little quickly and Cloud could tell she was trying her damndest to be calm and dignified.

He smiled widely at her and propped a hand on his hip, thinking the question over quickly. "Why, no, I haven't got a girlfriend." _Heh, Vincent isn't a girl, _he laughed to himself in his head, but humored the girl standing in front of him.

She smiled. He was loving this. It was a great ego boost, and if nothing else, he got to make someone happy just by being himself.

She shifted her feet and propped a hand on her hip, almost mimicking him. "Well, isn't that interesting," she said.

Cloud straightened and stepped a little closer to her. "What's your name?"

She smiled wider, if that was possible. "Lydia."

"Well, Lydia," Cloud said as he leaned over a little to whisper in her ear, taking her hand, which trembled slightly. "You tell your friends I said 'Hi'." The girl's eyes boggled as Cloud gave her a kiss on the cheek and lightly squeezed her hand, before straightening and flashing her a smile. He turned and boarded the Heli-Taxi. Lydia's mouth was half open in a sort of star-struck kind of way as she turned and ran back to her giggling group of friends. Cloud watched them jump all over her and laughed as he buckled his safety belt.

The pilot looked at Cloud with a similar star-struck gaze in his eyes. "You sure are popular with the ladies. I guess that's what happens when you save the world."

Cloud kept smiling, feeling a little warm and fuzzy inside. "I guess so," he said, still gazing out the window as the Heli-Taxi lifted off the ground. They rose higher and higher, until they were hovering well above the city and then eased forward in the air, heading towards the city entrance. Cloud sat back and tried not to look out the window. He never could shake that motion sickness, but it had gotten better. His run-in with Lydia also helped to take his mind off the ride. It baffled him how he could go from being a hated terrorist to a beloved celebrity and hero almost overnight. But he enjoyed it… for now. He knew it would get old eventually; he just hoped that he would be old news before he got tired of the attention.

The Heli-Taxi landed outside of Junon with a slight lurch, but Cloud was glad to be back on the ground. He unbuckled his belt and climbed out of the huge machine, meeting the pilot just as he was lowering Cloud's motorcycle to the ground. Cloud thanked him and shook his hand, slipping him 250 gil and grinning as the pilot gasped at the amount.

"Mr. Strife, you don't need to…"

"Just take it. They probably don't pay you enough anyway."

The pilot looked at the gil in his hand and then back to Cloud. The blond just sat on his motorcycle and perched the sunglasses back on his nose. What did he need the gil for? He would probably run into some monsters on the way to Kalm to see Barret and Tifa, and they would inevitably drop some gil. That's how he made his money. That's actually how he became a millionaire; that and saving everything unless he really felt he needed to spend the gil, or if he felt someone else really needed it. He had no problem parting with it because there was always more to be found.

He started the bike and looked at the pilot, who had climbed back into the Heli-Taxi. Cloud smiled warmly at him and lifted his sunglasses to wink at him before dropping the glasses and speeding off on his bike into the grasslands that surrounded Junon.

* * *

The ride was quiet. The bike obviously didn't have a radio and there was no one to talk to, and Cloud didn't feel in the mood to talk to himself, which surprisingly wasn't something that was out of the ordinary for him. He just enjoyed the wind on his face as he crossed the giant area between Junon and the Mythril Mine. He was probably traveling too fast for any monsters to attack him and for this he was rather grateful. He didn't feel in the mood to be fighting things.

An hour later, when he pulled up to the Mythril Mine, the cave that lay between the Junon Area and the Grasslands, he slowed his motorcycle and stopped on a small patch of grass. He pulled out his sword, just in case. He had to be careful in the mine because he couldn't travel as fast thanks to the winding paths that twisted their way through the whole cave. The pace he was forced to move at made him a meal on a motorcycle for any monster that just happened to catch him.

Well, anyone _else_ would have been a meal on a motorcycle.

He was, in all actuality, considerably stronger than any of the monsters that would attack him in the cave, but they could still cause a nasty scratch or a case of Poison.

When he was ready, he set off into the dark cave. The light from the entrance made the walls seem to glow because of the mix of mythril and mako. Luckily the cave was small and he could see the light from the exit from the moment he entered. His trip through the cave was uneventful and smooth. As he left, he wondered why. Granted, since the fall of ShinRa, there had been fewer monsters around, but one could never expect to have a completely uneventful trip, especially through a cave. This mildly concerned Cloud, but he dismissed it as good luck and made his way to the swamp that separated the cave entrance from the Grasslands.

Again he readied his sword. This swamp was notorious for harboring an extremely dangerous breed of monster called the Midgar Zolem. It was the most giant snake anyone had ever seen, with a cobra-like head and vicious attacks that were almost always fatal.

Naturally, Cloud had killed quite a few of them.

But that didn't mean he was less apprehensive about crossing the swamp. He didn't deny that a fight with a Midgar Zolem would leave him quite worn out. He checked his equipment and arranged it so his curative materia was easily accessible.

_All right. Let's do this._


	4. Sins

Yeah, I definitely realized like five minutes ago that I had my chapters numbered wrong and instead of currently writing what I though was chapter 6, I'm actually writing chapter 7, which means you all get another chapter to read! Hooray for you. XD

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Disclaimer: I don't feel like trying to come up with something witty, so we'll just stick with "I don't own anything of FFVII." Boring, I know.

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**Chapter 3 - Sins**

Vincent walked out of Cloud's apartment building and into the streets of Junon. His scarlet cape, which he had removed earlier since he no longer felt the need to wear it everywhere (at least, not in front of Cloud), flowed behind him as he descended the stairs on the front stoop of the building, giving him a mysterious and sort of menacing appearance. No one in town knew him, and he liked it that way. He preferred to slip through the shadows, unnoticed by the public eye, and he was damn good at it too. Quiet in his movements, anyone who wasn't paying close attention wouldn't even know he was there until he was standing in front of them.

He prided himself on his stealth and used it often. He'd even snuck up on Cloud a number of times and scared the blond half to death on a few occasions. Of course, with Cloud, it was all in good fun. Besides, he thought Cloud's reactions were cute.

"_You would. You're such a queen sometimes."_

Vincent stopped when he heard the voice coming from the darkness of the alley he was in. He turned around quickly, the cloak billowing behind him from the motion. "Who said that?" he asked as his human hand landed cautiously on his gun. "Who's there?"

Nothing.

Vincent eyed the alley suspiciously before slowly turning around and heading toward the main road. He gave the shadows one last glance before slipping into the light.

He sighed and adjusted his cape a little bit before continuing toward his destination, slightly perplexed about the voice, but brushing it off as he reached the Heli-Taxi station.

The pilot eyed him warily. Vincent noticed his apprehension and smiled nicely at him, making sure to tilt his head down a bit so the pilot could actually see that he was smiling under the collar of his cape. Sometimes the cloak got in the way, but it was bearable.

Seeing some of Vincent's smile, the pilot relaxed. A little. "C-can I help you, sir?"

Vincent pointed behind him. "I'd like to go to Outer City please."

Something about the dark man's warm tone must have relaxed the pilot further, because he smiled in a friendly way and invited Vincent into the Heli-Taxi. Vincent climbed into the passenger seat and closed the door behind him.

They rose off the ground and were at the city limits in what seemed like record time. Vincent climbed out and thanked the pilot, tossing him 100 gil for his trouble.

The pilot blinked confusedly at the gil in his hand. Twice in one day? These rides were supposed to be free.

"Keep it. They probably don't pay you enough anyway."

The pilot smiled. "Thank you, sir." _Odd, that's exactly what Mr. Strife said…_ the young man thought, but he wasn't about to turn down this kind of money, even though it was the second time today the same thing had been said to him. Now that he thought about it, they _didn't_ pay him enough.

Vincent backed away from the Heli-Taxi as the machine rose and glided back into the city. He pulled out his PHS and called Cid.

"Whaddya want?" the older man answered gruffly.

Vincent could hear him take a drag on his cigarette and puff it out. "Highwind, you're going to kill yourself with those cigarettes."

"Ah, Vince. I gotta have somethin' to keep me sane 'round you." He let out a laugh and Vincent just shook his head. The pilot annoyed him most of the time, with his rudeness and blunt statements, but deep down, he really was a good guy.

"Well, I am ready to be picked up outside of Junon. Cloud is on his way to Kalm as we speak."

"Awright, I'm over on the other side of the hill, behind the city. Dunno how that spiky-headed kid managed to miss the Highwind, but I suppose it was for the best."

Vincent sighed. "He's not a child."

Cid laughed loudly. "'Course he's not! But he sure as hell acts like one sometimes!"

Vincent decided not to get into an argument with the pilot. "I'm on my way, all right?"

"Awright! Hurry yer ass up! I'm gettin' tired of waitin' fer yer vampirey-ness ta show up here an' I'm runnin' out of cigarettes!"

Vincent just hung up and started the short walk around the rather large hill that Junon was actually built in to. He broke into a quick jog and rounded the corner. The Highwind sat in its full glory, hovering just above the ground. A rope ladder dangled from the deck. Vincent leapt onto the end of the ladder and pulled himself up onto the deck nimbly. He walked through the big door to his left and wrinkled his nose at the distinct odor of machinery that hit his nostrils. He made his way to the bridge, where he found the pilot casually leaning against the steering wheel.

"Hiya, Vince."

"Hello, Highwind."

"Ev'ry one else is in their quarters. It won't take long ta reach Kalm. 'Bout…" the pilot scratched his stubbly chin. "Half hour?"

"Fine."

"See ya in a bit, Vince."

"Please call me Vincent." There was only one blond from whom he tolerated nicknames, and it wasn't Cid.

The pilot scoffed. "Right, Vince."

Vincent merely let out a small sigh and gracefully turned to walk to his quarters. It had been a while since he'd been on the airship, but he spent such a great amount of time in it when they were fighting Sephiroth that the walk to his small room was like second nature. Over the bridge, up the stairs, through the double doors, down the long corridor, four doors down on the right. He opened the door and looked in. It still smelled like him. Well, it didn't smell of machinery, so he assumed it smelled like him because he had spent so much time trying to rid the room of the mechanical smell. He walked in and sat on the small bed that he spent many nights in, dreaming of what he thought would never be possible.

But it _was _possible. He had Cloud. Cloud had him. He seemed so unattainable because of Tifa's presence. Besides, why would someone like Cloud Strife want someone like him? Why did he even want him now? What was there to want?

"_Nothing. You're worthless. You couldn't even save her."_

Vincent flew to his feet. "Who's there?"

Silence.

"I demand to know who's in my room!"

Still silence.

Vincent huffed out a breath and sat heavily down on the bed again. "…her?"

Suddenly, there was a flash of light. "Vince? Vince! You in there?"

Vincent cracked his eyes open. "What…?"

"Oh, Vinnie, you're okay!" A pair of arms wrapped around his neck. What was going on?

"What happened?" he asked.

Cid's voice. "Dunno, buddy. I came in here to tell ya that we've landed outside of Kalm. When I got in here you was passed out on the floor. I called everyone in here and we woke ya up."

"I… passed out?" There was still a pair of arms around his neck. He turned to his left and nearly leapt out of his skin. "Yuffie! Let go of me!"

The young ninja squeezed tighter. "I was so worried about you, Vinnie!"

"Vincent!" the gunner grumbled.

Cid clapped him on the shoulder, knocking him forward slightly. He would have fallen if Yuffie hadn't been hanging on to him for dear life. He preferred falling.

He yanked Yuffie off of him and stood from… the floor? Wasn't he on the bed? Oh well. "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine."

"I hope so," came a purr from behind him. Only one creature could sound half human, half feline.

Vincent actually smiled, though it was concealed behind the cloak. "Nanaki. Good to see you again."

The fire-cat bowed his head regally. "Likewise, Vincent Valentine."

Cid grunted and led the way out of Vincent's quarters. Yuffie followed. Red lingered with Vincent who sat on his bed and ran a hand through his hair. The graceful creature hopped up next to him and sat on his hindquarters. "How do you feel?"

Vincent's eyebrows furrowed. Red could just see his expression under the mass of hair, the headband, and the collar of his cloak. "I'm… not sure."

"What happened?"

Vincent looked at the ceiling. His lights were on. He didn't turn them on when he came in. "I heard a voice. I asked who it was, and got no answer. Then I woke up with everyone around me."

"Odd." The cat sounded pensive.

"I feel fine now, I suppose." He didn't feel any _different_.

Red looked at him with his one good eye. "Well, I suppose that's what matters."

Vincent laid a hand on Red's head. The cat leaned into Vincent's touch. Sometimes, he really did act like a cat. Vincent sometimes forgot he wasn't human, until he went to pet him. He didn't normally pet humans. It was oddly comforting, for both parties involved.

Vincent sighed and stood. "Shall we?"

Red hopped onto the floor and held out a paw. "After you."

Vincent smiled warmly at him. He'd missed Nanaki. He really had.

They walked down the corridor together, through the double doors, up the stairs to the deck. Cid and Yuffie were waiting for them and when everyone was present, they took turns climbing down the rope ladder and walked into town towards Tifa's house.

_There's certainly something odd going on here,_ Vincent thought to himself as they entered the house and were greeted by a very excited Tifa. He was so deep in his thoughts that Tifa scared him when she nearly jumped on top of him to give him a hug.

Tifa pulled back quickly when he jumped. "Sorry Vincent, I forgot about your reservations about being touched."

Vincent looked at the pretty brunette. "No, it's all right, Tifa. I was just thinking and you startled me, is all." To prove his point, he held out his arms for her.

Tifa smiled. "Well, well, a rare occasion indeed! Vincent Valentine, asking for a hug? I never thought I'd see the day!" She said as she accepted his offer.

"How come she gets a hug!" Yuffie yelled.

Vincent let Tifa go and looked at Yuffie. "She doesn't call me 'Vinnie'."

Yuffie pouted and Vincent rolled his eyes. Holding out his arms, he said, "All right, fine. I'll hug you. But you have to promise to let me g-"

Yuffie pounced on him. _Big mistake._ But he humored her, and she did let him go… finally.

Tifa laughed at the scene and showed everyone into her house. She offered everyone something to drink and/or eat and they sat in the living room and waited for Barret and Reeve to show up so they could finish decorating for Cloud's party.

* * *

OMG! Is that... _plot?_ Yes, I believe it is! I know, took long enough, right? I like things that are drawn out. I have a feeling that this story is going to be veeeerrrrrrryyyyyyyyyy drawn out, because I can. *grin* It's corny now, but it will get eventually fit into the genres I stuck it in (i.e. Angst/Romance if you missed it). Please leave a review and tell me what ya think!


	5. Birds of a Feather

**A/N:**Yay! Chapter 4. I'm going against my own rule right now because I actually haven't finished writing chapter 7, but I figured since it's my 19th birthday today :-D I'd give you all a present.

Just so y'all know, the word 'Halcyon' means 'gold'. You'll get it as you read on!

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**Chapter 4 – 'Birds of a Feather' They Say…**

Cloud wiped a bit of mud off of his boot, and then wiped his face. He hated going through that swamp at such a high speed, but it was worth getting his bike all dirty if he didn't have to fight the Midgar Zolem. There had been a snake hot on his trail the whole way through, but as soon as he cleared the border of the swamp, the snake gave up its chase, knowing it couldn't survive for even a second out of its habitat. For this, Cloud was extremely thankful.

After cleaning his sunglasses and replacing them, he looked ahead of him. He was merely minutes away from a small Chocobo farm, the only one on the Planet. He revved his bike up again and headed for the farm. He was good friends with the owner. The guy took care of Cloud's personal Chocobos, so friendship was inevitable, and Cloud was thankful for this as well. He rather liked the old man and his grandchildren.

Cloud smiled warmly as the he sped over the grass. Now would be an excellent time to visit with his birds. He hadn't seen them in a while.

Upon arriving at the farmhouse, after driving around countless pastures and wooden fences, Cloud parked his bike fairly close to the front door and climbed off it. He knocked lightly on the door, removing his glasses in the process. After a few moments, the door swung open slowly and the farm owner, Bill, stood there slightly hunched over, undoubtedly because of his age and long life of working with Chocobos.

It took the man a moment to recognize Cloud, but once he did, a welcoming smile spread over his face. Cloud smiled as well and extended his hand to the old-timer.

"Why, Cloud Strife, idn't it?" Bill said, shaking Cloud's hand firmly and patting him on the shoulder with his other hand.

"Yessir." Cloud answered.

Bill pulled Cloud into the house and shut the door behind him. "Here to see your birds, then?"

"Well, I was in the area. I figured I'd go in and give the guys some greens. I was also hoping to use your garden hose, as well."

The old man gave him a questioning look.

Cloud rushed to explain. "My bike got a little dirty on the way here."

"Oh, well, yes. That would be fine, Mr. Strife."

"Hey Bill, we've been friends a while now. Call me Cloud."

The old man nodded and gave him a fatherly smile that Cloud assumed was second nature to him.

"Thanks." Cloud headed out the door, leaving Bill to his house. Cloud glanced at his bike, and decided to go visit 'the guys' first. During his journey to defeat Sephiroth, Cloud had found it useful to breed and train as many Chocobos as he could, and eventually his work paid off. He'd managed to breed the four rarest types of Chocobos there were: a River Chocobo, a Mountain Chocobo, a Black Chocobo, and, the most coveted of all, a Golden Chocobo. He also owned the two birds that had started it all.

He was greeted with excited sounds of 'Warkk!' as he entered the barn and it made him smile. Billy, Bill's grandson, a good five years younger than Cloud, came bounding up to him and shook his hand heartily.

"Well, if it ain't Cloud Strife!" The young man said happily.

Cloud released Billy's hand and rubbed the back of his head. "How ya been, Billy?"

"Ah, can't complain. Your birds have been keepin' us busy!"

They started walking down the aisle toward the feed room to get some greens. "Oh yeah?"

"Yeah, man! That Halcyon! He's been puttin' up a ruckus somethin' fierce!"

Cloud chuckled inwardly at the young man's accent as he picked up a pile of Mimmett greens. It gave him character. Cloud had always been fond of him. The 'Halcyon' he'd referred to was Cloud's Golden Chocobo.

They stepped out of the feed room and continued down the aisle, stopping in front of Halcyon's stall. The bird looked up quickly and cocked his head to the side, much in the way Cloud did when he was curious. Cloud opened up the door and the bird quickly gave a loud 'Warrrk!' and came right over to his owner.

Cloud laughed softly as he patted the bird affectionately. "Nice to see you too, boy."

"Aww, now ain't that sweet? He ain't been that excited since the last time you was here." Billy stated, leaning against the door frame. Cloud took a handful of greens and gave them to the bird, who gobbled them up appreciatively.

Another loud 'Wark!' could be heard from across the aisle. Cloud turned his head and laughed as Knight, his Black Chocobo, gave him a pleading look. "All right, then, you're next, Knight."

Cloud went over to the bird's stall after closing Halcyon's door and slipped some greens through the open window of the top half of the door. He scratched the bird's head, making the animal coo at him.

Cloud gave greens to Rayn, his River Chocobo, and Everest, his Mountain Chocobo, and then made his way to the front of the barn where his two normal Chocobos were, Sunny and Cloud (he'd let Marlene name Cloud, and he couldn't talk her out of naming the bird after him). He tossed them each the remaining greens and turned to Billy.

The young man propped a hand on his hip casually. "You gonna be ridin' today?"

Cloud shook his head. "Nope, I'm afraid I have to be somewhere soon."

"Well, awright, but these birds miss ya. Ya can tell by their faces. Come around more often, huh? They'd like that."

Cloud smiled. "I'll try." Cloud shook Billy's hand and started for the door, but turned and looked at the boy. "Where's your sister?"

"Ah, Chole. She's off at the Gold Saucer groomin' and exercisin' Chocobos for the jockeys there. Been there 'bout a month now."

"Well, that's pretty damn cool for her, huh?"

Billy nodded. "Yeah. She says she doesn't wanna come home, she's havin' so much fun."

Cloud nodded as well. "Well, I'll be seein' ya. I'll try to come around more often."

"Take care, Cloud!"

Cloud walked out of the barn and approached his motorcycle. He looked around and spotted the garden hose coiled up next to the house. Turning the knob and picking up the end of the hose, he dragged it over to his bike and aimed the nozzle directly at the front wheel. He squeezed the nozzle and water came rushing out, hitting the bike and washing the mud from the swamp away. He rinsed off the rest of the bike, being careful not to hit the leather seat, not only so he wouldn't ruin the leather, but also so he wouldn't have to sit on something wet. When the bike was clean, he climbed on and started it up, taking a second to put his sunglasses on before zooming down the dirt driveway and out onto the plains.

* * *

A little short. But it's not all that important to the plot, so I didn't press it. I just figured since Cloud was going by it, he might as well visit his giant chickens because I dunno about you, but I spent a damn long time raising Chocobos in my game and I didn't want to just leave them there. They may come in handy later on in the story too, but I haven't decided yet. Ok, the next chapter will be interesting, at least... more so than the last chapters. By the way, anyone figure out who was talking to Vincent in the last chapter? I had one guess that it was Chaos, but it's not! I'll give you all a hint. It has to do with the title of that chapter. *grins* Please leave a review? Please? It makes me feel special. And it's my birthday so you should be nice to me. ^_^


	6. Confessions

**A/N: **Here's chapter 5. I'm changing my rule, since I'm now behind on the old one because of my last post, so now I'll post when I'm two chapters ahead of myself. I don't know why I feel the need to let everyone know these things. It's not like anyone would know if I didn't announce them. Perhaps it's just my way of taunting all you readers because I know what's going to happen and you don't. *grins* So! This chapter doesn't really have to do with the main plot, but it does introduce a sub-plot that will most likely resurface later in the story, though it's not as obvious as you will think. So it's not entirely pointless, but it is quite entertaining, especially for those who don't like Tifa very much. It's not particularly mean... more like, smug. You'll get that when you read it. So go do that!

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**Chapter 5 – Confessions**

A roll of red party streamers flew through Tifa's living room, hitting Barret squarely in the back of the head. "OW!" The huge man whipped around. "WHO THREW THAT!" he bellowed.

A certain small, brunette ninja giggled and hid behind a large armchair.

Barret growled and started after the small girl, but she was considerably more nimble and speedy than he was, and she managed to get away from him every time he advanced in her direction. Tifa walked into the room carrying a tray of snacks to put on the coffee table and was nearly tackled by Barret as he ran after Yuffie.

"Guys! Can we skip the hysterics? I don't need my house torn apart before the party even starts!"

Barret stopped himself just before he crashed into Tifa's china set. Yuffie had ducked behind the couch and was now peeking over the top of the large cushions. "Ha ha, big guy. Busted!" she taunted as she stood up.

Barret grumbled as he snatched up the roll of streamers that had previously hit him in the head and began to drape them all over the room, muttering something about a "damn ninja".

Tifa set the tray down on the coffee table and chuckled at her friends. A noise suddenly caught her attention from outside. It sounded like… a motor. She ran to the window to see Cloud climb off his bike and kick the kickstand. Tifa quickly turned around and yelled, "Quick! Everyone hide! He's here!"

Everyone immediately stopped what they were doing and found a place to hide. Yuffie, since she was already there, just ducked back behind the armchair. Red found a table to hide under. Vincent smirked and slipped into a shadow behind an open door, where he blended quite well. Cid scoffed at the whole ordeal and just went into the kitchen to find something to eat. Tifa stood next to the light switch and tried her best to keep concealed around the corner. Reeve, who had shown up a little late, crouched down behind the couch. Barret was the only one left standing in the middle of the room.

"Barret! Find somewhere to go! I hear footsteps on the front porch!" Tifa whispered harshly.

"Where the hell do ya 'spect me ta go?"

Tifa hurriedly pointed to a closet across the room. Grumbling again, Barret opened it and stuffed himself inside just as the doorbell rang.

Tifa called out, "It's open!"

The door slowly swung open and Cloud's head peeked in. "Tifa?"

Tifa stifled a chuckle. "Come on in, Cloud."

Cloud's angelic face scrunched up in confusion. "Why the hell is it so dark in here?"

Tifa accidentally let a giggle slip out. "Oh sorry. Let me turn on the light."

As soon as Tifa flipped the switch, five bodies jumped out of their hiding places and screamed "SURPRISE!"

Cloud jumped and put a hand on his chest. "Gods! Give me a heart attack why don'cha!"

Everyone laughed at him as he looked around the room and groaned, realizing why they were all there. One by one they greeted him, and he noticed someone was missing. "Where's Cid?"

"He was here a few minutes ago." Tifa said, looking around the room. Cloud walked through the living room into the kitchen and had to laugh at the sight he saw before him. Cid was rummaging around in Tifa's refrigerator, his rear end sticking out past the door. He was humming quite loudly. At the sound of Cloud's laughing his head popped up over the top of the door. His mouth was full of food as he grinned sheepishly and straightened, shutting the door.

"Guess I missed the surprise, eh?" he asked through a mouthful of food.

Cloud rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, man. You missed the surprise."

Cid swallowed his food and walked over to Cloud, hitting him on the shoulder a little hard. "Good ta see ya kid!"

Cloud rubbed his shoulder. "You too, Cid."

Tifa went over to Cloud and interlaced their arms and pulled him into the living room. Cloud gave Vincent a pleading look as she pulled him by the dark man. Vincent shrugged and mouthed 'Sorry' to Cloud. Everyone settled around the blonde in the living room, Tifa snuggling up a little too close for Cloud's liking, but he didn't protest.

"Guys, I didn't want a party."

Tifa poked his side, causing Cloud to yelp. He hated that she knew his ticklish spot, which Vincent decided to take note of… for later. "Cloud, you can't go without a party on your birthday!"

Cloud pouted and his shoulders slumped. "Fine," he sighed.

Yuffie came bounding up to him. "Open my present first!" she begged excitedly. She shoved a box in his face and he had to dodge so as not to be hit.

He took it, blushing lightly because suddenly _everyone _was watching him attentively. The box was heavier than it looked. It was about the size of a shoebox and wrapped with paper that had dancing Chocobos in different costumes on it. Very… Yuffie-ish. He sighed, though it was barely audible, and ran his finger under all the seams of the wrapping. He removed the paper and pulled off the lid, revealing a brand new, shiny, silver shoulder guard.

"Wow, Yuff. This is really cool."

The tiny ninja beamed. "It's special Wutian metal. With it you'll be able to absorb fire, lightning, and ice attacks." She counted on her fingers as she named off the elements. "The weapons master in Wutai told me it's called the Elemental Bangle! Isn't that a cool name?"

Cloud lifted it out of the box. "Yep," he said, sounding a little more uninterested than he had intended, but the girl didn't seem to notice. It wasn't that he didn't like the gift; he was just feeling _very_ self-conscious. He removed his old shoulder guard and slipped the Elemental Bangle over his arm. Once it was secure, he experimentally moved his arm around. "Thanks, Yuffie. It fits great." He mentally rolled his eyes at himself. _Well, gee Cloud, don't jump for joy or anything._ He never really liked thank-yous. He couldn't seem to manage to make them sound sincere.

"You're welcome, Cloudy!"

He shot a death glare at the girl. She grinned and quickly went back to her chair. He'd let it slide… for now.

Something hard suddenly hit him in the head. Cloud looked up at Cid who was chuckling, his arms folded over his chest and a cocky smirk on his face. "Happy birthday, kid."

Cloud let out a growl as he rubbed his head and glared at Cid. He picked up the box that had landed in his lap. It looked like a jewelry box. Cloud's eyebrow rose as he examined it and then looked to Cid questioningly.

"It ain't no engagement ring or nothin', if that's what yer thinkin'."

That caught a few laughs from the group of friends. Even Vincent was slightly amused. Cloud and Cid? Not unless the world was going to be destroyed by a psychopathic, silver-haired, super soldier with a half dead science experiment and an ego the size of the Western Continent… oh wait. Well… it just would never happen. Not as long as Vincent was around.

Cloud opened the small box, his face a light shade of pink. Inside was a key. He pulled it out. "Something locked?" he inquired with a hint of sarcasm.

Cid smirked. "Yeah actually. I heard you had this thing that needed a new key."

Cloud's brow furrowed. "Huh? What are you talking about?"

Cid pulled a rolled up piece of paper out of his back pocket and tossed it at Cloud. Cloud took it and unrolled it, revealing a picture.

Cid chuckled as the younger blond's eyes widened. "You know, that thing you needed a key for?"

"Well! What is it, Cloud?" Tifa begged, pulling on his arm.

Cloud held the picture up and Tifa gasped. "The… the Tiny Bronco?" She put her hand over her mouth.

Cid stuck out his chest proudly. "Yep! She's all yours, kiddo!"

Cloud stared at the paper. "Cid… I…" he looked up at the older man. "Thank you."

"Ain't nothin'. I got the Highwind now and I fixed the Bronco up so it would fly again. Took a damn long time, too. But otherwise it'd be just sittin' in my yard gettin' rusty."

Cloud was amazed. "Cid, this means a lot. I know how important the Bronco is to you. You just… you have no idea how much I appreciate this."

Cid flushed slightly. "Now, stop it kid." He laughed as he rubbed the back of his head.

Cloud tucked the picture and the key in his pocket. "Sorry. But really, thanks."

Cid nodded. "Yer welcome."

Reeve approached Cloud and handed him a long box. Cloud opened it and smiled as a gold watch reflected the light. Reeve shrugged. "Thought you'd like to know what time it is when you're roaming the Grasslands. It's indestructible and automatically picks up on time changes around the world."

"Reeve, this is awesome." Cloud wrapped it around his wrist and admired it. He looked closely at the face and had to laugh.

Reeve chuckled. "Thought you might like that. I thought it screamed 'Cloud'."

Cloud shook his head. "Reeve, only you would think to get me an indestructible watch with swords for hands. Thanks."

Reeve smiled from his chair. "No prob."

Barret was next. The large man stood and placed a leather sack in front of Cloud on the coffee table. Cloud looked at it, then looked at Barret, before picking up the sack that seemed to be filled with all kinds of things. Cloud loosened the drawstrings and opened the sack. Inside were lots of different potions and items that got used on a regular basis: Hypers, Tranquilizers, Softs, X-potions. Every supply a wandering fighter would need.

Barret shrugged. "Ain't no gold watch or airplane or nothin', but these oughta keep you alive for at least a little while. Sack's real leather."

Cloud pulled the drawstrings and set the sack down. "Thanks, Barret. Glad to know you're concerned about my wellbeing." Cloud said with a smirk. Barret just sat down and "hmphed". Cloud smiled, knowing that Barret really did care whether or not he was alive, even if he didn't show it.

Red stood from his spot on the floor and stretched a second before padding over to Cloud and sitting on his haunches at the blond's feet. He turned his head around to face his back and pulled a small bag from his neck with his teeth and gently placed it on Cloud's lap. "I found this in Grandfather's lab. I thought you might like it."

Cloud opened the bag and pulled out what at first looked like a snow globe, but upon examining it, he realized there was something happening inside it that wasn't little bits of plastic floating around.

There was a sort of projection behind the glass. Cloud watched as it showed a smaller version of what Bugen had in his lab: a model of the solar system. The planets moved, stars shot around, and everything was surrounded by colored light.

"Spirit energy…" Cloud whispered.

Red nodded. Cloud looked at him and smiled, patting the beast's head. "Thank you, Red. It's really beautiful."

Red bowed slightly before standing and returning to his earlier spot on the floor.

Tifa leaned on her knees and cupped her hands under her chin. "Is that everyone?" she asked as she eyed everyone in the room. Her eyes fell upon Vincent. "Vincent? You haven't given Cloud anything."

_She didn't see us this morning…_ "I left my gift at home. Cloud can come by and get it later." The sides of Vincent's lips twitched into a slight smile as Cloud blushed just enough for only Vincent to notice.

Yuffie propped her hands on her hips. "Well at least tell us what it is!"

Cloud's eyes widened for a split second.

"That would ruin the surprise," Vincent said coolly. Cloud almost sighed, but caught himself.

Cid took out a cigarette. "What about you?" he said to Tifa. "What'd you get him?"

"I threw the party—and you are not smoking in my house!"

Cid grumbled something and put the cigarette behind his ear.

"But there is something I would like to talk to Cloud about." She turned to him. "Would you come with me outside?"

Cloud looked at her and nodded after a second.

The brunette stood. "Everyone else can help themselves to snacks and stuff." She took Cloud by the hand and led him past everyone to the back door and out into the yard.

Cloud pulled his hand away from her when they were outside. She shut the door behind them and he sidestepped slightly, just to put some distance between them. She'd been hanging on him since he'd arrived.

"What did you want to talk about?"

She turned to him. There was a look in her eye that Cloud just couldn't place. "I want to discuss your gift."

Her hands were behind her back as she slowly walked towards him. Cloud started backing away from her without even noticing. She stopped in the middle of her back porch and giggled as Cloud backed into a chair, tripping over it and landing in it with a thump.

She made her way over to the table that was next to the chair and leaned on it sideways, propped up on her hip. "I wanted to give you this away from the others. It's… special."

She pulled her hands out from behind her back and handed him a ring. It was silver, and had the same wolf symbol on it that was on Cloud's shoulder guard.

"I had it made for you. I wanted it to be sort of a… symbol of our friendship…" she looked him straight in the eyes. "…And my love."

Cloud mentally groaned. Why did she always have to bring love into the picture? He looked at her hopeful expression and smiled unsurely. "Thanks, Tif." He slipped the ring onto his finger. "It's really nice. It's a great _friendship_ ring." He tried to subtly emphasize the word 'friendship', but it didn't seem to faze her.

She folded her hands behind her back and began to pace, seemingly nervous. Cloud didn't want to ask, but he didn't want to hurt her feelings by not asking. "You okay?"

She looked at him. "Cloud…" She was walking towards him now. Cloud shrank into his chair slowly. The nearer she got, the more he sank. When she was nearly standing over him, he stood up quickly, but the railing of the porch stopped him from backing any further.

Tifa stopped about a foot away from him. Her eyes fell as she smiled slightly. "We've been friends a long time now, huh?" she asked him, looking back into his eyes.

He nodded tentatively. "Yeah…" He licked his lips nervously.

"We'll… always be there for each other, right?"

He nodded again. "…Yeah. Tifa what are you getting at?"

She chuckled softly and raised a hand to trace her finger down the zipper of his shirt as she stepped a little closer to him.

He gently took her hand by the wrist. "Tifa—"

"Oh Cloud!" she gasped as she basically pounced on him. Their lips met and Cloud had to brace himself on the railing to keep himself from being pushed over the side.

He tried to say something, but her mouth moved furiously over his and when he opened it to speak, her tongue darted in, cutting him off. His eyes widened, half from anger, half from surprise that she would be so bold.

"Tif—" he tried to say, but she wouldn't let up.

Cloud finally just put his hands on her shoulders and pushed her off of him a little more roughly than he had intended.

"Tifa, what are you doing!" he exclaimed.

She looked back at him, smiling a little, and started approaching him again. "Oh come on, Cloud. You can't say you don't feel anything for me."

He moved to the left, nearly falling over the chair again. "Yes I can."

She laughed. "Cloud, I know you're in love with me, as I am with you."

"Tifa…" the blond started, holding his hands up. "Tifa, you're my best friend. I don't see you as anything more than that."

She sprinted at him and wrapped her arms around his neck before he had a chance to escape. A light chuckle came from her lips that were only inches from his. "Sure, Cloud."

She kissed him again. He growled and reached up to untangle her arms from around his neck before he pushed her away again. "Tifa, I can't love you!"

She eyed him playfully with her hands behind her back. "Oh really? Why is that, Cloud?"

Cloud just blurted it out before he realized what he was doing. "Because I'm GAY!" He instantly covered his mouth after the words left it.

Tifa looked amused.

Cloud lowered his hands and looked at her laughing eyes. "You think I'm joking?"

As if on cue, the back door opened and Vincent stuck his head out. "Everything all right back here?"

Cloud rushed over to Vincent and pulled him out onto the porch, closing the door behind him. The blond held Vincent's wrist and pulled on it slightly. Vincent noticed the pleading look on his lover's face and immediately became concerned. "What's wrong?"

Cloud gestured to Tifa. "Vincent please tell her about me."

Vincent was slightly confused. "Why ask me to tell her about someone she's known since childhood?"

Cloud shook his head, frustrated. "No, no… tell her about _me_."

Realization clicked in the gunman's head. "Oh. That."

Cloud nodded. Vincent drew in a breath and held it for a second before he let it out again. He stepped toward Tifa, who looked at him questioningly, waiting for an explanation. "Tifa," he started. He then sighed again. "Tifa, Cloud loves you very much, but only as a best friend." He looked back at Cloud, who hadn't let go of his wrist. Cloud gave him another pleading look, and the dark gunner continued. "Tifa, Cloud is gay."

Tifa looked like she was confused. She looked back and forth between Vincent and Cloud. It was several minutes before she spoke. "…Gay?"

Cloud moved forward and changed his grip from Vincent's wrist to his hand, entwining their fingers. His voice was quiet. "Yeah."

Tifa looked at their hands, her eyes glazed over. Her eyes rose to meet Vincent's first, then Cloud's. "Cloud… why didn't you tell me?"

Cloud looked down at Vincent's shoulder, unable to meet his childhood friend's hurt gaze. He closed his eyes. "I… don't know."

Tifa blushed furiously when she realized what she'd done. "Cloud…" She closed her eyes. "I'm sorry for… getting all…"

Cloud let go of Vincent's hand and approached the struggling girl, who had one arm propped on the other and was covering her mouth, her eyes still closed. When Cloud was close enough, he gently reached forward and put his fingers under her chin, turning her head toward him.

He spoke very gently. "It's okay, Tifa. It's okay."

Tifa sniffled a little and Cloud pulled her to him for a hug. She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed tight. He rubbed the back of her head as she rested it on his shoulder.

They stayed like that for a minute before she pulled away and looked at him. "If I'd known…" she started. Cloud held up a hand to stop her.

He looked at her with soft, mako eyes. "I know how love can be blinding… But I should have told you."

She furrowed her eyebrows and met his gaze. "Why couldn't you?"

He ran a hand through his unruly, blond spikes and sighed. "I was afraid, I guess."

She looked confused and sniffled quietly. "Of what, Cloud? It's just me."

He sighed and rubbed his eyes. "I know. I just… I just couldn't." He looked at her again and attempted a smile. "But… now you know."

She didn't say anything. He gently took her hand and gave it a light squeeze. "Tif." She looked at him. "You'll always be my best friend." He kissed her cheek and stepped back, letting her hand go.

She sighed, her lips forming a small smile as she nodded. "I know," she said with a little hint of sadness in her voice, but Cloud took this as acceptance and smiled at her.

Vincent watched the pair interact with a little bit of sympathy. Tifa really loved Cloud. But Cloud loved someone else. A small smile tugged the corners of his mouth at that thought, but he quickly wiped it away. He didn't want to seem smug because he had something that someone else desperately wanted, though he had to confess to himself that he really did feel a bit smug. He would never be so mean as to throw it in the girl's face, but she would never know what went through his head, so he felt no shame in merely thinking about it.

Cloud hugged Tifa one last time and held her by the shoulders after they separated. "Thank you for the party, and for the ring. You're the best friend anyone could have."

Tifa smiled at Cloud. "You're welcome. You deserve it."

He smiled at her once before walking back toward Vincent. The dark-haired man put his arm around Cloud's shoulders when he got close enough and hugged the blond, kissing his temple affectionately. Okay, so maybe he wanted to subtly express his smugness.

"What did Tifa get you?" he asked.

Cloud held his hand up and showed the gunman his new ring. Vincent took Cloud's hand gently with his metal arm and turned it from side to side, admiring the trinket. "Very beautiful."

"She had it specially made for me. It matches the wolf on my armor, and my earring." Cloud said proudly as he turned and smiled at Tifa. The brunette approached the two men and stood in front of them.

"I'm happy for you, Cloud," she said. At least Cloud was happy. That's what she wanted, right?

Cloud put his arms around Vincent's waist absentmindedly and rested his head on the gunman's shoulder. "Thanks, Tif." That smug smile was threatening to reappear again. _No. Don't let it._ Vincent mentally scolded himself.

"Come in for cake when you're ready," the pretty brunette said as she started for the door.

Cloud watched after her. "We'll be in, in a sec." He turned to Vincent when the door was closed and sighed dramatically.

Vincent cocked an eyebrow as he looked down at the top of Cloud's head. "That bad, huh?"

Cloud pulled out from under Vincent's arm. "She kissed me, Vince."

The gunman sighed and looked into Cloud's ocean eyes. "I know."

Cloud's eyebrows rose in surprise. "You knew?"

Vincent looked at Cloud lovingly. "I was watching from the kitchen window."

"You were spying on me?"

"I was spying on her."

Cloud felt his lips twitch into a smile. "Her?"

Vincent shrugged. "She had a look. I wanted to make sure she wasn't trying to take what I waited so long to have." The girl had gone inside. What was the problem with being smug now?

"So you watched. And you didn't come out after the first time she kissed me?"

"I didn't want to seem suspicious. If I had come out as soon as she even advanced toward you then you both would have known that I was watching."

Cloud looked at him with one eyebrow raised. "So you waited until she attacked me twice."

The dark man suddenly moved with incredible stealth and in an instant was behind Cloud, breathing on his ear. Cloud leaned into the warmth as his lover whispered, "I liked watching her kiss you and knowing that you are still mine."

Cloud turned and slithered his arms around a slim waist, pulling the gunner closer to him so he could whisper back, "I'll always be yours." His lips caressed Vincent's ear as he spoke and it sent chills down his back. His arms raised and cupped Cloud's face on either side softly as he placed his lips over the young blond's mouth. The kiss lasted a few seconds before Vincent pulled back slightly, lingering just over a centimeter from the blond's lips.

"I'll always be yours, too, Cloud. I love you."

Cloud brought their lips together again in response. It was slow, sensual, and loving. They parted, and Vincent placed a quick, little kiss on his lover's lips before taking his hand in his own and leading him inside.

_So it's true,_ Tifa thought as she watched the two men from the window. A tear slid down her cheek, but she smiled through it. She liked seeing Cloud happy, though she still wished he could be happy with her. She sighed and wiped the tear away and went back to the party in the other room, the mask going back up as soon as she entered the living room.

* * *

The party wasn't all that bad. By the time it was over, it was dark out. Cloud actually felt a weight lifted because Tifa knew. Barret had given Cloud the 500 gil he owed him and then left around sunset so that he could be back at his house in time to put Marlene to bed. Red, Yuffie, Reeve, and Cid said their goodbyes around eight and gathered back into the Highwind so Cid could fly everyone home before heading back to Rocket Town.

Cloud stayed behind after everyone was gone, politely refusing Cid's offer to fly him home, and Vincent stayed because Cloud stayed. They were in the now extremely messy living room, just sitting together, enjoying some drinks.

Tifa looked around the room and chuckled a little. "This place is a mess."

Cloud put his drink on the coffee table and leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees. Vincent sat next to him, leaned back on the couch comfortably. "Would you like help cleaning up?" the blond inquired.

Tifa stood and shook her head. "No, that's okay, Cloud. I chose to throw this party in my own house so I should clean it up."

Cloud scoffed and stood, beginning to pick up garbage despite Tifa's words. Vincent stood as well and started helping Cloud. Tifa started to protest, but Cloud held up a hand to silence her. "Tif, you've done enough. Let us help."

Tifa sighed. "All right, fine. You can help."

They picked up the living room and dining room, being careful not to destroy what was left of the chocolate cake. They wrapped all the leftover food and put it in Tifa's refrigerator, swept the floors, and took out the trash before the house looked to be in its normal state again.

"There, all done. See? That would have taken you hours if we hadn't stayed." Cloud said, wrapping an arm around Tifa's shoulders.

"I suppose so. Thanks Cloud. Thank you, Vincent."

The dark man only nodded. Cloud squeezed Tifa's shoulders once before letting her go and leaving the room to gather his gifts. Well, most of his gifts anyway. The Tiny Bronco was still in Rocket Town. Cloud decided he'd go pick it up sometime in the next week or so.

Tifa and Vincent stood in her front hallway. The girl watched as Cloud rummaged around in the living room. She then turned to Vincent and smiled sadly. "Be good to him," she said quietly, looking at the floor.

The gunman nodded once. "Did you think I wouldn't be?"

She sighed. "No. If he's happy… that's… that's all that matters."

Vincent only looked at her. "Do you really mean that, Tifa?"

_No…_ She folded her arms over her chest and stayed silent for a moment. "Yes."

Vincent knew she was lying, but he decided not to push it, partly because he didn't want to really upset the girl, and partly because he wanted to go, Cloud having finished gathering his things, now heading towards them with an armful of gifts. Vincent took some of the gifts from him as he approached his two friends.

Cloud thanked Vincent and turned to Tifa. He put a hand on her shoulder affectionately. "Thanks, Tifa. For… everything."

Tifa couldn't help herself. She launched herself onto Cloud, wrapping her arms around his neck and hugging him tightly. Cloud was knocked off balance for a second but quickly regained his stature and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"I love you, Cloud. Don't forget that okay?" She said quietly as she pulled away.

Cloud gave her a soft smile. "I know, Tif. I won't forget." He walked to the door and turned to her. The blond winked at her as he and Vincent left, closing the door quietly behind them.

Cloud walked to his bike and opened one of the leather saddlebags that were draped over the seat. He put his gifts in it and motioned for Vincent to do the same. As the gunman was gingerly placing gifts into the bag, Cloud grew an evil looking smirk. He waited until Vincent was looking at him before he slowly, expertly raised his leg and slid over the bike, much in the fashion of a stripper dancing on a pole. A dark eyebrow raised and nearly disappeared under the gunner's headband as he watched the swordsman's display.

Cloud grinned seductively. "Wanna take the back?"

Vincent smirked. "Well, if you're offering…"

Cloud narrowed his eyes, causing him to resemble some kind of mythological temptress. "I'm am offering." Cloud slowly reached out to the gunman and hooked his finger into one of the belt loops on his pants, pulling gently so that the older man would come closer to him. He pulled Vincent so close that his nose was level with the gunner's waist. Cloud looked up into his lover's eyes and Vincent could almost see the evilly playful ideas dancing behind the blond's mako blue orbs.

Two could play that game.

Vincent nodded in consent to Cloud's "offer" and ran his finger down the blond's arm while he gracefully slithered onto the bike as well, making sure to slide himself down Cloud's back before resting himself on the seat of the bike. The blond tried not to shiver at their closeness, but didn't manage to hide it completely. To cover it up, he started the motorcycle, revving the engine, which caused the whole bike to vibrate.

Vincent let out a tiny gasp when Cloud pushed his hips into him as the gunman wrapped his arms around the blond's waist and pulled him closer. Cloud laughed lightly as he rolled his torso around a couple of times, making the older man shiver in his growing desire.

The blond revved the engine again before switching gears and starting off toward the exit of the small town. When they were far enough from the town that the scenery started to quiet down, Vincent leaned forward and rested his chin on Cloud's shoulder.

"Do you have any idea how much I want you?" he said as he began to run his mouth over the swordsman's ear. Cloud didn't answer, trying his best to keep his attention on driving, and not on the clever things the gunman was doing with his tongue behind his ear. This was going to be a long drive.

* * *

*excited* O.o What's going to happen? Let me tell you, it's about to get very dramatic, very quickly. Plot explosion, yay! Finally we get to find out who has been bothering poor Vincent. But you'll just have to wait and see.

Okay, it is now time for my ritual begging for reviews. My spies tell me that now, over 700 people have clicked on this story and a select few have taken the time to leave a comment. These people have my complete gratitude. Two seconds. Two seconds, it takes, to rock my socks. Please?


	7. Panic

**A/N:** Well, it's been a while, hasn't it? I'm suffering from a major case of the dreaded writer's block, so I'm not sure how quickly updates are going to come now. I'm trying. I am. But I'm also caught up with another story that I've started *sigh* so that has also been kind of consuming some of my time. That one will be posted soon as it's done, since it's just a oneshot. Okay, enough of my rambling. On with the show!

By the way, I still don't own anything of the wonderous world of Final Fantasy. If I did, I'd be paying professionals to publish this, instead of posting it on a free website, because I'd be a millionaire. Certain members of the character cast would have also been costumed completely differently... or not at all. XD

* * *

**Chapter 6 – Panic**

The wind ran it's airy fingers through ebony hair. If the dark gunman hadn't been sitting on his cape, then it would have been flying out behind him, chasing the two men on the motorcycle like a child who was left behind, fighting to catch up. Vincent rested his head on Cloud's shoulder, his arms wrapped tightly around his lover's waist. Cloud's head rested lightly on top of Vincent's, just enough to relax him, but also enough to allow him to pay attention to where he was driving. They crossed the grasslands around the Chocobo Farm, avoiding confrontation with the monsters that rarely showed themselves anymore. They were silent, the only audible sound being the rush of the wind sliding over them. It wasn't until they reached the swamp that Cloud slowed the bike and brought his hand up to caress the gunner's cheek, waking him from his light sleep.

Vincent smiled sleepily and tenderly kissed Cloud's cheek. "Why did we stop?"

Cloud looked ahead of them and sighed, eyeing the dark swamp. "There's a very dangerous breed of monster that inhabits that swamp, and we're gonna have to be very alert when we're passing through, because they're damn fast."

The gunner frowned and sighed as well. "Well, we'll just prepare for a fight then." He reached to his right hip and took out Death Penalty.

Cloud pressed a button, causing the sides of the bike to expand and release his improved Buster Sword. He removed the blade and held it out to his right, turning his head to the gunman behind him to make sure he was ready. Upon agreeing silently, they started off into the swamp.

The swamp was huge. They were only about half way through it, traveling at an insane speed, and it had already been forty-five minutes since they entered it.

Without any sign of warning, the bike suddenly caught on something in the murky water. Cloud and Vincent were flung off the bike as it spun around and flipped over, revealing something sharp sticking out of the front tire. Cloud's sword flew from his grasp and embedded itself in a nearby tree as the blond landed very ungracefully in the mud. Vincent landed a few feet away from Cloud, splashing mud everywhere and uprooting various plants as he slid over the mushy ground.

Cloud lay there in the mud for a minute with his eyes shut, before he groaned and tried to sit up. His leg had hit a sharp rock and it hurt pretty badly, but he managed to pull himself up so that he was kneeling and looked around. He spotted the gunman to his right, laying very still, his mud-caked cape covering most of him.

Cloud panicked. Was Vincent hurt? He rushed over to him on all fours, ignoring the pain in his leg, but still not having the strength to stand. When he reached the gunner's side he slowly rolled him over. He was unconscious, a thin line of blood falling down his forehead.

"Vincent? Vincent! Vince, please wake up!" the blond pleaded, lifting him by the shoulders and hugging him to his chest. He slowly rocked from side to side as if he were cradling a crying baby, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Vince… please. Please wake up." Cloud held the gunner close, burying his face into his shoulder.

Vincent groaned quietly, and Cloud gasped when the dark one slowly wrapped his arms around the blond's waist. Cloud held him tighter, his voice shaky as he spoke into the gunner's shoulder.

"Gods, Vince… I thought you were dead…"

Vincent's voice was strained a bit from the throbbing in his head. "I'm all right, Cloud," he all but whispered into his lover's ear. Cloud drew in a breath and huffed it out quickly before letting Vincent go and looking him in the face.

He raised a gloved hand and wiped the blood from the gunner's forehead. Vincent winced a little at the touch and took Cloud's arm gently by the wrist and brought it away from his injury. "Do you have any Cure materia?" he asked.

Cloud nodded, reaching for his shoulder guard to pull the materia out… but it wasn't there. "Shit, I left it in my other shoulder guard. It's in one of my saddlebags. I'll go grab it."

Cloud tried to stand, but as soon as he put weight on his left leg, it buckled underneath him and he fell again. Vincent's face twisted into a look of concern. "Cloud, are you all right?"

Cloud stood again, slower this time. "Yeah…" He limped over to the bike that lay stalling in the mud and flipped open one of the saddlebags, pulling out the shoulder guard and removing the materia from it before placing it back into the saddlebag. He started back toward Vincent, but stopped when the gunner whispered something, his crimson eyes widening.

"Cloud…" Vincent stared at something behind the blond. The swordsman turned around to see what Vincent was looking at and his jaw dropped as a Midgar Zolem approached the two men and straightened to its full height, nearly twenty feet tall, upon reaching them. It hissed loudly and lunged at Cloud, barely missing him as he jumped out of the way. The snake shook its head a bit before turning back toward the blond who braced himself against a tree. The snake approached him quickly, green venom oozing from its pearl colored fangs. Cloud looked around desperately for his weapon, but it was stuck in a tree about 30 feet away.

The snake rose again, preparing to strike, when gunshots suddenly sounded. The snake made a horrible screeching noise as a bullet embedded itself in its cobra-like hood and turned toward the source.

"Cloud, get your sword!" Vincent yelled as he fired off two more shots, one hitting the snake on the side of its jaw and the other striking the hard scales on the monster's side. Cloud sprinted in the direction of his sword as best he could with his injury, concentrating on the Cure spell as he ran. He felt a sort of icy hotness spread over him and envelop him. Suddenly his pain was gone and he ran full force, yanking the Buster Sword out of the tree with expert ease. He turned back to the snake, catching a glimpse of Vincent's red cape in the darkness as the gunner darted between trees, firing shots at the monster as it tried to chase him.

Cloud moved closer to the battle, silently getting within range of Vincent so he could concentrate a Cure spell on him as well. Though Vincent looked to be feeling okay with the way he was moving, Cloud knew he could be moving faster. They had fought together too often for Cloud to not recognize the gunman's true speed.

The spell worked itself into a dark cloud over the blond's head before he willed it to his target. The spell cloud darted over to Vincent, raining down on him as it reached him.

"Hey! Over here, you oversized sack of scales!" Cloud shouted. The snake turned its glowing red eyes toward the swordsman and hissed as it lunged again. Cloud was prepared for it this time. He ran toward the snake, his sword held at the ready. He launched himself into the air and aimed himself for the snake's head. He swung his sword, slashing a huge gash in the monster's already injured hood, and landing gracefully on the other side of it.

The creature screamed hideously as black blood gushed from its newest wound. It whirled around, its tail whipping about and catching Cloud off guard from behind. His feet went out from under him and he landed with a thud on his back.

Vincent, now fully healed, watched as Cloud darted up and jumped at the creature again, swinging his sword at the top of the snake's head. The blade ricocheted with a spark as it hit pure and natural body armor. Vincent readied his gun again, reloading it with skilled accuracy and speed. He cocked it and aimed for the creature, but stopped instantly as a blinding flash went off in his vision. He gasped and fell to his knees, rubbing his eyes furiously, but all he saw was white.

"_Seems you've gotten yourself into a bit of trouble."_ A dark, male voice flooded Vincent's hearing.

"_Or rather, that kid has gotten you into trouble."_ A female voice now. What was happening?

Vincent closed his eyes tightly and shook his head. This couldn't be real. He had to help Cloud. He had to snap out of this.

When he opened his eyes, his vision had returned and he looked just in time to see Cloud take a violent blow from the snake's bite. The blond cried out in pain as Vincent hurried into the small clearing where the battle was happening. He fired his gun rapidly, hitting the snake in the eye and in the throat. It croaked out a low growl that rumbled the earth they were standing on. Vincent, thinking quickly, reached into a compartment of his cloak and tossed an Antidote at Cloud who knelt on one knee nearby, suffering from the venom in the snake's bite.

Vincent aimed once more, but stopped again. Not because of a flash, but because he thought he saw something move behind the trees. Something large.

"Vincent, watch out!" came Cloud's shout from behind him. Vincent dodged the snake's attack, turning and shooting at the monster, hitting it again in the throat. Cloud came out of nowhere as the snake faltered slightly from the surprise of the shot. He thrust his sword upwards and sent the blade straight into the Zolem's jugular, through its jaw, and into its head. The snake made a garbled sound as it choked on its own blood and fell. Vincent worried for an instant that the giant would crush Cloud, but the swordsman pushed on the hilt of his sword with all his strength, causing the monster to fall over sideways, the sword sliding out in one fluid motion.

The creature was dead, but the two men found no time to even catch their breath as two more Zolems appeared from the depth of the trees.

Cloud was out of breath and slightly hunched over from his exertion, but he moved into a battle stance once again, prepared to fight as much as was needed. He wiped a drip of blood from his jaw, a mixture of his own and that of the creature that lay dead next to him.

Vincent reloaded his gun as he ran over to stand by Cloud's side, the two snakes approaching them quickly. The Zolems parted, almost as if they had planned a strategy for killing the two fighters. They circled around the warriors, surrounding them with their huge bodies. Vincent and Cloud stood back to back, each one facing one of the monsters.

One of the snakes hissed at them, preparing to strike. Vincent aimed his gun at the monster, but hesitated in shooting it because of a flicker of what seemed to be some kind of understanding in the creature's eyes. It looked to its counterpart, the other snake hissing back at it. Were they communicating? Could it be possible that these creatures harbored some kind of intelligence?

The gunman didn't have time to ponder because both creatures attacked at once, one going for Cloud, the other going for Vincent. The dark gunner instinctively shot at the creature, the bullet implanting itself in the roof of its mouth. The monster was unfazed and it lunged at Vincent, just barely missing him as he nimbly jumped to the side.

He heard the clang of metal behind him as Cloud crashed his blade on the stone-like scales of the Zolem he was fighting. Vincent, now on the other side of the snake, had Cloud in full view.

Suddenly, the snake turned itself around completely, away from Vincent. It hesitated for an instant before rushing at Cloud. Vincent bolted forward as he realized what the snake was doing, rapidly shooting the creature's back, but it was no use. The bullets only bounced off the hard scales, the snake ignoring every one of them. Yes, there certainly was a possibility of intelligence in these creatures if they knew to gang up on one fighter and get him out of the way in order to weaken the other one. Hojo would have had a field day with these things.

Hojo? Where did that come from? No matter, Cloud needed help.

Vincent jumped as the snake's tail whipped at him. It was still headed straight for Cloud, who was very obviously tiring from fighting the other snake. Vincent tried to run ahead of the creature, but it was just as Cloud had said when they entered the swamp: damn fast.

Vincent was beginning to feel the all too familiar rumble inside of him as Chaos threatened to emerge. He held the demon back mentally as he prepared Death Penalty for another round of bullets. His attention being on his weapon, he didn't notice the root sticking up in the ground in front of him. The gunner tripped over it and cried out as the blinding flash blocked his vision for a second time. He closed his eyes in order to block it, but it was no use. It flashed in his eyes rapidly, stopping abruptly, only to be replaced with darkness. He couldn't see a thing. He vaguely heard Cloud fighting the snakes and yelling his name. Oh gods, he sounded like he was in trouble.

Vincent tried desperately to clear his vision, but that dark voice flooded his brain again. _"Why do you suppress my demons? You were my greatest creation, aside from my own son. Why do you despise my gifts so?"_

This voice was strangely familiar, but he couldn't place it. He ignored it, shaking his head furiously, to either make it go away, or to bring his vision back. Another powerful flash and his sight returned, just in time to catch Cloud being attacked by both creatures at once.

One snake knocked him over with its tail and the other followed with a swift gash of its fangs into Cloud's side, sinking them into the flesh around his ribcage and then wrenching them out, ripping two huge gashes. The blond screamed in pain and collapsed, his sword falling out of his hands as he lay still on the ground, the only sign that he was still alive being the harsh rise and fall of his labored breathing.

Vincent felt rage course through his blood. He could feel Chaos at the back of his mind, pestering the gunman to release him. Vincent refused. He wanted to take these monsters out by himself.

He leapt up, firing his gun as best he could, aiming for the spots he knew were weak on the creatures: eyes, throat, hood. He hit his targets more times than he missed, but the creatures didn't even flinch. Instead they charged at him, leaving the wounded swordsman in the swampy mud to attack his partner.

Vincent shot, and shot again. Upon blinding one of the snakes, he aimed for the other one, but stopped as he saw something in the corner of his eye. He glanced over to where Cloud lay, and there, he saw two people, dressed in long white coats, examining the man thoughtfully. Vincent stared at them as he slowed his pace, but quickly reverted his attention back to the one snake that could see him as it swung violently at him with its tail.

The gunner finally lost control of Chaos as that last blow hit him. He screamed as the demon took his body over, his cries soon turning into growls as Chaos transformed him. The winged creature laughed triumphantly as he flung himself at the two snakes, swinging his wings forward to hit both creatures with 'Chaos Saber'. The snakes immediately fell, each one sporting a huge slice to the throat, their dark blood splattering everywhere as they crashed to the ground.

Chaos, distracted for a moment in the glory of his victory, let out an ear-splitting growl as Vincent won control again. The monster disappeared, burying itself back in the gunman's deepest sub-conscience, leaving Vincent on his hands and knees, gasping for breath.

He suddenly remembered Cloud. He gathered all his strength and jumped up, rushing around the mass of dead Zolems on the ground. He saw Cloud there, just starting to sit up, the Mako in his system beginning to do it's job, though he was still bleeding heavily from his wounds.

Vincent slid to a stop _again_ because those two people were still standing there, their backs to him, looking over the blond, one a dark-haired man, the other a brunette woman.

Vincent was teetering on the edge of sanity as he raised his gun to the people, panic ringing in his voice as he shouted at them.

"Get away from him!"

He stepped closer to the people. They seemed to ignore him. He cocked the gun. "I said get away from him! I am not afraid to shoot!"

He heard a snicker from the man. _"Do you really intend to kill your creator?"_

Vincent almost stopped breathing at the voice he heard.

"_It's this sorry excuse for a SOLDIER who should die,"_ the woman said. He heard their voices half in his head, and half on the air of the swamp.

Vincent's gun trembled with his shaking hand. "Luc… Lucrecia?" he questioned, never lowering his gun. It had to be a trick.

Both people turned around, their starch white coats a sharp contrast to the darkness of the swamp. Vincent dropped the gun as he recognized the man as well. "Hojo?" he felt his knees weaken and he staggered backwards slightly to keep from falling.

A chilling laugh came from the scientist as he observed Vincent's reaction. The gunman fell to his knees, fighting for the breath that threatened to leave him. He reached for his gun that lay just in front of him, aiming it at the man who had haunted his dreams for so long.

"Why are you here!" He had watched the scientist die. He'd helped kill him all those years ago on top of the Sister Ray. This _had_ to be a trick.

Hojo, seeming to float, walked backwards until he was standing over Cloud. "Pitiful, isn't he? Abusing the strength I gave him."

"You stay away from him! I swear on all that is holy in this planet that I will shoot!"

Cloud looked at Vincent, holding his side that had been slashed open by the snakes. "Vincent?" he questioned weakly.

Lucrecia went to stand by Hojo, hovering over the blond and staring at him with a critical eye. "_This_ was your failed experiment? He didn't even make it _in_ to SOLDIER, so he pretended to be someone else? Pitiful." She knelt down so that she was eye level with Cloud. Vincent changed his aim to her as she started to reach out for the swordsman.

"Don't you dare touch him!"

"Vincent, what are you talking about?" Cloud saw only desperation in Vincent's crimson eyes. He took in the sight before him: Vincent's trembling hand holding his gun…

Aimed straight at _him._ "Vincent! Answer me!"

The gunman didn't seem to hear him. Cloud felt a wave of panic rush through him. What was wrong with him?

Hojo crouched down to examine the blond as well and extended his arm toward the youth.

The only thing Cloud heard before his world went black… was a gunshot.

* * *

o.O What has Vinny done? Vincent! How could you do that?  
Vincent: You are the one writing, not I.  
Omni: *blink*...I know.  
Vincent: *rolls eyes* Just walk away, Vince. Walk away...

He's weird. Oh well. I love him anyway. I'll try to update soon, but I can't make any guarantees. It all depends on whether or not I get rid of the nasty writer's block. Please review! It will give me some encouragement to keep going!


	8. Someone Save Me

**A/N:** Thanks to my good budd and my brother, for unintentionally helping me write this chapter. ^^ By the way, the title of this chapter came from the song "Save Me" by Shinedown because I was listening to it while writing the chapter, and I also think it just fits. ^^

* * *

**Chapter 7 – Someone Save Me**

An eerie silence overtook Vincent's surroundings as he stared, mouth agape, at what he'd just done.

Cloud lay sprawled out in front of him, crimson blood flowing freely from the bullet wound near his collarbone.

The bullet wound from _his_ gun.

Vincent fell to his knees and let out a painful scream that was filled with anger, sadness, and fear. Emotions cascaded into his mind as he crawled over to Cloud, tears spilling down his cheeks. Hesitantly, Vincent reached his hand out and brushed it over Cloud's face slowly.

He was breathing. He wasn't dead.

The gunner let out a relieved sigh. At least he hadn't lost him. He didn't know what he'd do if that had happened. At least he was in a state where his wounds could easily be taken care of with curative materia. He went to remove the materia from Cloud's shoulder guard, but it wasn't there. He frantically looked around for it, and found it in pieces about three feet away. It must have broken when the snakes had attacked him together.

Groaning frustratedly and mentally cursing himself for not bringing his own materia, he reached around himself to where he had a small canteen of water hanging from his belt buckle. He only carried it through force of habit, but he was very thankful for that habit at that particular moment. He opened it and poured it slowly over the wound.

He hissed in a breath as the mixture of mud and blood washed away and revealed the wound itself. The bullet had hit the right side of Cloud's collarbone, right on the sensitive pressure point that every human being possesses, probably what made him pass out. It had only missed his head by a very small amount, and his throat by even less.

Vincent tried to concentrate on stopping the blood flow rather than concentrating on what might have happened. He unzipped Cloud's sweater and pulled his right arm out so he could access it easier, zipping up the bottom of the sweater again so the wounds from the snakes would have some protection. He ripped a strip of fabric from his cloak and used it as a bandage, applying as much pressure as possible.

"Now, see what you've done?"

Vincent froze.

"How is that any way to treat your lover?"

Vincent ignored the scientist.

"He always hurts the ones he loves."

The gunman cringed and shut his eyes tight when Lucrecia spoke. He heard footsteps splash around him as Hojo walked through the mud.

"Ah, hit a nerve, didn't she?"

His eyes remained tightly shut. If he didn't look at them, perhaps it would make it true that they weren't really there. Maybe none of this was real at all and he was asleep somewhere. Perhaps he had fallen asleep at the party. Perhaps he was in bed with Cloud, and this was all just one long, long nightmare.

He heard a sickening chuckle from Hojo. "You're not dreaming, Valentine. You really did this. You really did shoot him. Though it's a shame he's still alive."

Vincent opened his eyes and glared at the scientist. "Shut up," he growled.

Lucrecia moved to stand next to Hojo, her long brown hair seeming to float behind her. "How could you, Vincent? How could you manage to hurt two people you care for so deeply?" She looked at him with sad eyes. There was a point in his life when he would have killed to be able to look into her eyes again, but that feeling had long since passed. He was determined not to let Cloud die, even if she was looking at him like he'd wanted her to for so long.

Hojo "hmph"ed and stared at the blond soldier on the ground. Vincent eyed the scientist, positioning himself defensively over Cloud. The man's face suddenly contorted into a look of utter disgust.

"I should have destroyed this failed experiment when I had the chance!" he yelled as he kicked the unconscious youth in the side. Vincent shouted something incoherent before scooping Cloud up in his arms and cradling him protectively, hugging him close to his chest.

"Don't touch him! Why are you here? Why do you not leave me be?"

Hojo looked hurt. "You wish for us to leave?"

Vincent shot him a look that could kill if bestowed upon the right person, but it didn't faze Hojo.

The scientist nodded. "Very well then. We will depart. But keep in mind, Valentine: this will not be our last meeting. There is someone else who wishes to speak with you." He and Lucrecia backed away from the pair of men on the ground. "And it regards that miserable failure you now hold," he added right before another blinding flash collided with Vincent's vision. Vincent cried out, feeling a throbbing pain in his head for a moment before everything stopped and he was left sitting in the mud, still holding Cloud tightly in his arms.

He sat there, just holding his lover tightly, watching him. Cloud looked peaceful, yet his eyebrows were slightly creased in pain. Vincent kissed the blond's forehead before laying him down again. He stood as a look of determination crossed his features. "I _will_ make this right, Cloud," he whispered. He turned and walked to where he'd dropped his gun, picking it up and laying it next to Cloud, just in case he woke up while he was gone, he would have some means of protection. Vincent always carried Outsider with him anyway. Besides Death Penalty, the Outsider was his favorite gun.

He turned away from Cloud and drew in a heavy breath before starting off to find someone who could help them.

* * *

There was silence all around him. There were no sounds that told of other people. There weren't even any sounds that gave away the hiding places of tiny creatures that should inhabit swamps.

The surface he lay on was mushy, wet. He felt dirty. He felt weak. He felt pain. Incredible pain. He tried to speak, but it only came out as an airy groan. His mouth and throat were dry, and his cracked lips refused to move correctly to form words. He wanted to open his eyes, but when he tried to, all he saw was a blur of a dark sky and some looming objects he guessed were trees. Closing his eyes again, he made a move to rub them, but his arms didn't want to move. His left arm was very stiff, and as he forced it into motion, he realized that it was because it had been under his body. Perhaps his right arm was not moving for a similar reason.

He tried to force his right arm to move, but as soon as he did, pain lanced through his entire body from the shoulder and he cried out with a scratchy scream. He opened his eyes again and slowly turned his head to look at his shoulder. It was covered in blood and upon seeing the crimson liquid, the memories rushed back into his head.

Vincent had shot him.

The thought hit him like a brick. Why would Vincent shoot him? No. That wasn't Vincent. The look in his eyes… it seemed to go right through him, like he was looking at someone else. He had spoken, too… what had he said?

There was something terribly wrong here.

Cloud forced himself to sit up, whimpering as his throbbing wounds screamed from the motion. His right arm seemed dead. He lifted it with his left arm and placed it in his lap. It was then that he noticed that his shirt was only half on him. He looked down to his injured shoulder again and realized that it had been bandaged… with red cloth. He touched the fabric, recognizing it from Vincent's cloak, its color obviously the reason he hadn't seen it at first since it matched the color of his blood, not to mention that it was soaked in it as well.

He looked around. He was alone. Vincent had left him? Did Vincent _want_ him to die? Or did he think he was already dead? No, he bandaged the wound. That would mean that he knew he was alive and wanted to help, right? But that wouldn't explain why he had just left without taking Cloud with him. He closed his eyes and sighed, confused.

When he opened them again, something shiny caught his eye. He looked to his left and saw something lying on a patch of grass. Death Penalty? Vincent had left his gun behind? That wasn't like him. Leaning on his left arm for support, he shifted himself so he could reach the gun. It was loaded.

Cloud held the gun and examined it as a slightly reassuring thought popped into his head. Vincent had left the gun _for him._ Otherwise, it wouldn't be loaded.

He gripped the gun by the handle and held it out in front of him, testing its features in comparison with his own abilities. He reached a finger around the trigger, squeezing the handle with the rest of his fingers, just to see if he could actually use the gun. He wasn't normally a shooter, but he had used a gun on more than one occasion when he was with ShinRa, and he felt quite comfortable with Vincent's gun, mostly because it was Vincent's.

So that left him with one question. Where did Vincent go? The swamp was miles around, and the nearest place, the Chocobo farm, would have taken _at least_ half a day to get to on foot, which Cloud assumed was his mode of transportation since the bike was not only out of commission, but also sitting just off to his left.

Which meant that Vincent was alone, on foot, and without protection. Cloud's features darkened as he thought of that. There was something very abnormal going on with Vincent. He would never be so irresponsible. What had happened during that battle?

Another question came to mind. How long had he been here? The snakes were still lying in a heap of scales and blood. They reeked of death. Cloud stared at them, wondering why they hadn't been devoured by other creatures, and also wondering the same for himself.

Tucking his shot arm into his shirt, both for support and warmth, the blond drew his knees to his chest. His situation had to be better than it seemed. It _had _to be. But for some reason, Cloud couldn't shake the feeling that he was going to die in this place, without Vincent. He knew it couldn't be Vincent's fault… could it? He couldn't shake that feeling either. He was sitting in a swamp, bleeding from a wound that was caused by the very person he was missing. And in that moment, he had never felt more alone.

* * *

Vincent splashed through the swamp, ignoring his own fatigue, desperately clinging to his consciousness for fear that if he stopped, he would lose his lover forever. He knew that the only thing keeping him going now was adrenaline, and he prayed to every god in the heavens that it would keep fueling him until he made some progress with the situation.

He was in a daze. His feet moved, but his mind was back somewhere in the swamp, with Cloud. After leaving him, he had continued in the direction they had been heading, figuring that they had to have been somewhere near the other end of the swamp. It was difficult with no vehicle, but luck seemed to be on his side for the moment because he hadn't run into anything that didn't want him there.

"I wonder why…?" he mused aloud. Why hadn't anything attacked him? He was practically begging for it, not only by walking, but also by walking alone, albeit quickly. Still pondering, he pressed on.

Without really knowing it until it happened, Vincent finally stepped on solid ground. He didn't stop to rest; this only made him move faster, gaining the advantage of being able to push off from the ground more quickly than he could in the unstable footing of the swamp. He broke into a run and didn't even bother to slow down when he entered the Mythril Mine. He wasn't quite sure how to make his way through the winding paths of the small cave, but he did it quickly enough, shooting down a few small monsters that threatened to break his speed. When he made it out of the cave, he was out of breath, his chest and throat burning from his exertion, but he didn't stop. He would push himself till he died, but not until he found someone to help Cloud.

Surveying the area he was in as he moved, he spotted a structure atop a hill. Fort Condor, if he recalled correctly. Cloud had helped them before. They wouldn't deny him help in return. This thought seemed to pump more adrenaline into Vincent's body, and he picked up his speed, heading straight for the fort.

The man at the door to the fort was large; larger than Vincent. Vincent didn't even see him, his worry and guilt blinding him. That is, he didn't see him until he ran right into what seemed to be a brick wall. Vincent staggered backwards for a second before shaking his head and trying to rush past him again.

The large man held Vincent's shoulders firmly. "Let me go! I must get inside!" Vincent demanded desperately.

The man shook his head, easily keeping Vincent from getting into the fort. "I'm sorry, everyone must have permission to enter."

Vincent pushed against the man angrily, but to no avail. "Please! Please…" he pleaded, nearly collapsing suddenly in the man's large arms. "He's… going to die…"

The large man looked at the darker man who now used him for support. "Is it an emergency?"

Vincent looked at the man with a ferocity behind his crimson eyes unlike any the man had ever seen. "_Of course_ it's an emergency, you oaf! He's going to _die_ if I don't help him!" He used what was left of his strength to push himself off from the man, launching himself onto the ground behind him. He weakly pulled himself up and went into the fort, the large man letting him go because of the sheer desperation in his voice.

Vincent climbed the ladder that led to the actual fort, thankful that the old rope had been replaced. He wasn't sure if his arms could have held him on a rope. Upon reaching the top of what seemed to be the tallest ladder on the Planet, he slowly pulled himself through the hole in the floor and finally did collapse, too exhausted to go on.

Luckily, Fort Condor had become much busier since the last time he'd been there, and someone noticed him right away. An old woman rushed over to him and knelt next the fallen man, gently rolling him over and resting his head and shoulders on her arm.

"Please," he said breathlessly. "He's going to die…" Vincent almost choked on the tears that had finally caught up with him. He didn't want to be lying there in some old woman's arms. He wanted to be rushing back to Cloud with people who could help, but he couldn't make himself move.

The old woman brushed strands of ebony hair away from his sweat-soaked face, whispering gently, "It's all right, honey. You're not going to die."

Vincent shook his head and shut his eyes. "No, please, I need help. I need… to go back."

The woman continued to stroke his hair. "Don't worry, we'll help you."

Vincent pushed himself up, his muscles violently protesting. "No, Cloud needs help. I need… a doctor and a… search team." He brushed tears away as he spoke, and the woman understood.

"Kazno, will you fetch healer Tre?" Vincent heard an affirmative grunt and then footsteps running up some stairs. The woman pulled a small pouch from her pocket and handed it to the dark man in front of her. "Here, drink this. It's all I have at the moment."

Vincent smiled as best he could in a gesture of thanks and took the Potion weakly, slowly drinking it and immediately feeling a tiny bit of his strength return. He stood with the help of the woman and turned to her.

"I am Daela," she said, slightly breathless as Vincent turned his fascinatingly crimson eyes on her. There was so much emotion in them that it scared her a little. She tilted her head to the side and looked back into those eyes with empathy. "I'll make sure you get any help you need."

The gunner's gaze didn't waver as he spoke. "Thank you." His voice was a little shaky. He knew it was shaky, but he was too preoccupied with finding help for Cloud to worry about keeping up his normally distant and calm exterior. There was far too much happening in his head.

Vincent was given a few Elixir treatments by healer Tre, and finally felt his strength return to him, though the Elixirs did nothing for his mental state. While he was being treated, Daela had informed the leader of the fort that a search and rescue team was needed immediately. When Vincent returned from the infirmary, not ten minutes after his arrival at Fort Condor, there was a group of about five men waiting for him.

Determined not to let the one he loved die, he brushed past the men quickly, heading for the exit. "I'll explain on the way," was all he said to them, and they took it as his command to follow, which they did eagerly. Vincent knew he had made the right decision in choosing Fort Condor for help, however forced that decision may have been. The people here were notorious for their willingness to help. This slightly reassured him as they headed back the way he had come, moving much faster than he had originally, thanks to the generous donation of seven chocobos from the people of the fort. Six of them were ridden, and one pulled a cart full of medical supplies. The healer called Tre sat aboard the cart, keeping up with the other men surprisingly well.

When they made it to the border of the swamp, almost forty-five minutes later, Vincent dismounted the chocobo and clutched Outsider, loading and cocking it, before glancing to the search team. His eyes gave the silent order to head out, and they entered the marshy territory, prepared for anything that might hit them.

* * *

Cloud felt like his brain was being viciously attacked by all the thoughts crashing into it. He was caught in a web of worry over Vincent's safety, worry over his own safety, confusion about the events that had most recently occurred, and a mix of fear and sadness that Vincent may never be the same as he was. Perhaps Cloud would never be the same. Could he forgive Vincent? He wanted to. He wanted to go back in time, before all this happened. Back to when things were simple.

He still sat hugging his knees and hanging on to Death Penalty like his life depended on it. Well, actually his life _did_ depend on it. There was such contradiction in his mind about why he was even holding it. He wanted to think that Vincent had left it for him to protect himself. Then again, he also wanted to think that Vincent _didn't_ shoot him.

But he did. Vincent did shoot him.

Cloud didn't understand, and his lack of comprehension frustrated him more than anything. He replayed the events over and over in his head but he still just couldn't understand. He tried to remember what Vincent had said. He tried to remember what he saw in Vincent's eyes. He tried to think logically, but he couldn't stop wondering if there was some kind of hidden meaning to Vincent's shooting him. He wondered if, in some miniscule way, Vincent had _meant_ to shoot him.

Had he done something to warrant it? Had he displeased Vincent without realizing it, and instead of being able to confront him about it, had Vincent just felt the need to shoot him?

_That's ridiculous,_ he thought. Why, just this morning they were—

Wait, was it this morning? Cloud still had no idea how long he'd been sitting in the mud. The dead snakes were no help in telling. They smelled bad in life too, not just in death.

Well, perhaps Cloud could find it in himself to forgive Vincent, but what then? Could Vincent be trusted? Maybe he needed help. But for what? Cloud let out a loud sigh and shut his eyes, wishing that his thoughts would just leave him alone.

He didn't have to wish for long because he was startled by a splash not too far from his position. Subconsciously, he gripped Vincent's gun tighter, trying to prepare himself for an attack.

Another splash. Cloud's heartbeat quickened. He was in no state to run away. He wasn't even sure if he could stand. And his good arm was pretty much useless.

_This isn't looking good,_ he thought as he shivered a bit. Another splash, and a rustling from a group of rather dead looking trees. Cloud's eyes widened and he winced as _another_ Zolem appeared. Did they ever go away?

This one was smaller than the other three, but that didn't mean anything since it was still almost five times Cloud's size and the blond was injured, with no materia and a gun that he wasn't very good at using anyway, much less with his left hand, as his only means of protection.

_This definitely isn't looking good._

The snake apparently hadn't seen him. From what he recalled from his SOLDIER lessons on monsters, Zolems couldn't actually see very well. They relied on their sense of smell, hearing, and touch to find their prey. Cloud tried to stay very quiet and still. Maybe it would go away if he didn't create any kind of vibrations, sound or otherwise. He figured he didn't have to worry about his smell, since he was covered in mud anyway, and the stench of the other three snakes was enough to cover up anything.

Of course, nothing could go right for Cloud. A pang of fear shot through his gut as he felt a sneeze coming on. He normally didn't ever sneeze—the mako in him made him almost immune to the common cold—but he _had_ been sitting in the mud for… however long it had been.

He tried to stop it. Then when that failed, he tried to do it quietly, but at the sound of Cloud's breath leaving him, the snake's head whipped in his direction and it let out a shriek unlike anything Cloud had ever heard. It rattled his brain and left him dizzy for a moment before his sense returned and he shakily tried to stand. He aimed the gun at the creature's head, trying to be confident in his shooting. He hadn't used a gun in a very long time.

The creature seemed to laugh at him, sensing his weakness and inexperience. It approached him slowly, as though it _knew_ it would win.

Cloud shot, and the bullet hit the scales on top of the creature's head. The blond's muscles felt weak, and it was only because of the tenseness of his fear that he didn't collapse right where he was. He'd completely lost track of his sword, so he had no choice but to keep firing the gun, hoping it would cause some kind of damage to the giant snake.

The snake was a good fifty feet away from Cloud, but that didn't make it any less ominous. Those fifty feet were quickly disappearing. Fifty became forty, forty became thirty. Cloud staggered backwards on wobbly legs as the creature came closer. He kept firing at it, until he heard a sound that would inevitably mean his death: click. Empty gun.

Cloud stared at the gun for a moment with tearful eyes, before letting his arm fall and dropping the gun in a murky puddle. The snake appeared to almost grin as it opened its mouth, baring its smooth fangs.

Cloud closed his eyes and stepped forward once as the snake picked its front half up so that it stood almost double its own size, preparing to deal the one blow it would need to kill the disheartened soldier in front of it.

_This is it,_ he thought. He opened his eyes and stared at the bloodthirsty monster, ready to enter the Lifestream, ready to join his fallen comrades.

A loud shot suddenly pierced the thick air and hit the creature directly in the head. Thick black blood spattered out of the monster's skull and it released an ear-piercing cry, its red eyes rolling back in its head as it tumbled to the ground with a splash. Cloud stood where he was, astonished, just staring at the snake as the last bit of life slipped out of its being.

He gawked at the dead snake for a second before a wave of fatigue washed over him and he felt himself falling to the ground, seemingly in slow motion. He just managed to catch a glimpse of a flowing red cape rushing at him before he gave himself to unconsciousness.

* * *

Well, that took a while to come up. I wasn't even going to post this chapter tonight, but SOMEONE just had to insist. -_^ She knows who she is.

So I've had a bunch of guesses as to exactly _why_ Hojo and Lucrecia are bothering Vincent. They're not ghosts. You'll see! ^^

I'm not even going to bother with the begging-for-reviews ritual. You all know it by now. That little button down there... it's calling to you...


	9. Some Birthday

**A/N:** Yeah, I knew this would happen. That rule that I set for myself? Flew out the window when this chapter came about. I kept it up for 8 chapters though! I'm proud of myself.

Just a little note, "seers" is pronounced "see-ers" as in people who see things. I confused myself while writing it, so I figured I'd save you guys the trouble of the same confusion.

**Chapter 8 – Some Birthday**

* * *

The smell was the first thing he noticed. It smelled like… firewood. The air was warm and thick, wrapping around him like a fluffy blanket. He inhaled slowly, but deeply, feeling the small bit of smoke fill his lungs. Not enough to be painful, but enough to give him a comfortable, homey feeling.

He could faintly hear soft murmurs coming from somewhere nearby. He didn't much care what was being said. He just wanted to stay relaxed in his blanket of air. He didn't want to think just yet, didn't want to try to figure out exactly where he was that was so relaxing. He didn't want to think about the events that had landed him there.

He did, however, want to roll over. He felt like he had been on his back for weeks. It was at that point, when he did indeed roll onto his left side, that he realized he was on a bed, and quite a comfortable bed, at that. He sighed contentedly and kept his eyes closed, hoping to perhaps fall back to sleep.

A door opened quietly, the hinges making a very faint creaking noise. He assumed it was the door to whatever room he was in. He then heard a small gasp and something that sounded like cloth rustling. A hand pressed against his cheek. It was warm and he smiled slightly at the comfort it brought.

Then the hand was gone, and he felt air slide over him as the person left the room quickly. He didn't even attempt to wonder who it was as he gave himself over to the temptation of sleep that was tugging at his brain.

* * *

Vincent stepped into the room quietly, closing the door behind him. Upon turning around, his eyes widened at what he saw.

Cloud had turned over, meaning he was at least semi-conscious.

In an instant, he was at Cloud's side. He lightly touched the swordsman's cheek to check for fever. The healers at Fort Condor had used materia to heal Cloud's external wounds, but it did nothing for any internal infections, nor did it do anything for loss of consciousness. Cloud had been asleep for two days.

The young man's cheek was warm, but not as hot as it had been. Vincent smiled softly as he removed his hand and turned around, moving quickly to find healer Tre.

He rushed through the fort, climbing ladders, stairs, and worn out ropes with surprising agility as he made his way through the maze-like structure. When he made it to the floor that was second to the top, he stopped, glancing around the only room on the level. He spotted the healer in the corner behind a counter sitting cross-legged on the floor with his eyes closed, seemingly in some sort of meditation.

"He moved," Vincent stated simply.

Tre's eyes slid open as he focused on the dark (and rather intimidating, if he did say so) man in front of him. A nod was his only response as he stood. He made his way over to the creaky staircase and started down, the cloaked man following him. Yes, he was a strange one, but he'd come to Fort Condor in need of help, and Tre was not one to refuse any kind of plea for assistance, as was the custom in their small community.

But the strange man in red hadn't even told him his name. He thought he had heard, at one point in the four days he had been in the man's company, one of the seers refer to him as 'Chaos', but the mysterious man only glared angrily at the person with those troubled, crimson eyes. Understandable. What kind of name is 'Chaos' for a person anyway? The seers did have a special ability for looking into one's mind and soul, though. The man obviously didn't want to speak on the subject, and he was just a little too intimidating to be reckoned with, so Tre was merely left to ponder it alone.

As they made their way down to the patients' room, Vincent could have sworn it took longer than it had ever taken to get there. Time seemed to be dragging its heels, and it made the crimson gunner want to do something like… cast Haste on the entire world. Actually, that didn't sound like such a bad idea…

_No… too 'Sephiroth'. Perhaps—_

His thoughts were cut off by the healer's abrupt stop, or what appeared to be an abrupt stop only because Vincent wasn't paying attention. They had arrived in Cloud's room, where the blonde was in the same position he had been left in, on his left side and facing them, though he looked considerably more comfortable than he had for the past couple of days. His hands were tucked up under his chin, one of them half supporting his head while the other was balled up to a loose fist and resting on top of it.

Tre was saying something to Vincent, but the gunner wasn't registering any of it. He just wanted the healer to check on Cloud, and tell him that he could take the swordsman home.

"…Are you listening?"

Vincent blinked and shook his head.

Tre sighed. Yes, he was a strange one. "Never mind." He'd only been trying to make small talk on the way down to the room. The man seemed like he needed some small talk.

Vincent mentally shrugged. If it didn't have anything to do with Cloud, he didn't want to hear it. He had been desperately trying to keep his mind busy, thinking of anything except what happened. He had to; otherwise he might take his guilt and frustration out on the wrong person, or on himself, and not in a healthy way.

Tre walked across the room to stand at Cloud's bedside. He looked the blond over, noting his change in position, his more even, steady breathing, his facial expression and color, or what he could see of it. He didn't need to disturb the young man by rolling him over in order to come to his conclusion, at which point he turned back to the cloaked man and gave him a reassuring smile. "He's definitely come to, he's just sleeping now. His face has more color, which means his fever must have gone down some. He needs to eat and drink. I'll leave that to you, since he will probably be more comfortable with you waking him than a complete stranger."

Vincent listened eagerly, his attitude completely turning around. He nodded after the healer was finished speaking to confirm he had understood. He hadn't meant to be rude, but he had a lot on his mind. Hoping it would make up for some of his behavior, the gunman made sure to thank the healer. Tre seemed an understanding person, and proved himself to be so when he gave Vincent one last empathetic smile before closing the door behind him.

Vincent turned to the bed at the other end of the room. He walked to it quietly, trying not to let the metal on his boots make too much noise on the hardwood floor. He took a moment to watch Cloud as he slept, his figure peaceful, his face serene. Vincent wondered what he might be dreaming, if anything at all. There was a small smile on his lips, which made the gunman smile as well. It was amazing he wasn't having some sort of nightmare, what with all that had happened.

_No. Don't think about it. Just wake him up, _Vincent lectured himself mentally.

He slowly sat on the bed next to Cloud's hips and reached his metal arm out to lightly touch the blond's shoulder.

Cloud flinched at the touch, his facial expression quickly falling to one of fear as he sucked in a gasp of air and curled up more, holding himself tight. His eyes squeezed shut as Vincent hurriedly pulled his arm back, the metal of it softly clanking against itself. He closed his eyes for a moment, repressing the guilt he felt and forcing it to the back of his mind. There were more important matters at hand than feeling sorry for himself.

He rose and knelt on the floor next to Cloud's face, being careful not to get too close. He extended his human hand this time, thinking the touch would be softer and therefore perhaps slightly more welcome. He hesitantly grazed his fingers over Cloud's forehead, brushing a blond spike out of his face. Cloud's features softened slightly.

Seeing this, Vincent gently moved the rest of the hair from the younger man's face, running his fingers through the golden locks as he did so. Cloud inhaled deeply and his expression relaxed. His eyelids fluttered a little before he slowly lifted them, blinking a few times to fix his fuzzy vision.

Azure eyes rose tentatively and he blinked again as the gunner came into view. "V—Vince?"

His voice was forced and scratchy, but it was the most beautiful sound Vincent had ever heard as he let out the breath he realized he had been holding and rested his forehead against Cloud's, closing his eyes.

He felt a hand on his cheek as Cloud rubbed it gently, almost weakly. "Vince…" the blond whispered. That hand then reached to the back of his neck and pulled slightly. Vincent promptly embraced his lover, pulling him close. Cloud wrapped his arms around Vincent's neck and hugged him as tightly as his minute amount of strength would allow.

Vincent took a deep breath to calm himself before letting Cloud go. The smile on the gunner's lips fell when he pulled back and saw the blond's face. Those glowing blue eyes were full of confusion and pain and he found himself unable to meet them.

Cloud watched as Vincent avoided his gaze and sat cross-legged on the floor. He lay back on the bed and touched his fingertips to the healing wound on his right shoulder. His gaze floated back to the gunman still sitting on the floor, staring at the gold plating on his boots.

"Why?"

The word felt like it weighed a thousand pounds as it hit Vincent's ears. Why, indeed? He wasn't even sure _he _knew.

"Vincent?"

He didn't want to look at the younger man. He couldn't make himself look.

Cloud sighed sadly when Vincent ignored him. He didn't understand, but he didn't have the strength, mentally or physically, to press the matter.

He lay there for a long time, rolling things over and over in his mind. Vincent just sat on the floor, his face and eyes unreadable. His blank stare was beginning to frighten the blond, but he knew he couldn't make Vincent talk. Vincent was the type who waited until he was ready to talk about what was on his mind, and even then he almost never said anything. That fact, however, did nothing to make Cloud feel any better about the situation.

Vincent looked calm on the outside, but his mental state was far from placid. The thoughts he'd been trying to avoid for four days bombarded his mind rapidly. He couldn't discern one from another, couldn't understand any of them, but he did understand the overwhelming dread of what was to come in the next moments of his life, though he hadn't even the slightest idea of what they would bring. A feeling of guilt laced through his whole body, stinging him, taunting him. He wanted to strike at it. He wanted to make it suffer like it was making him suffer. He wanted to _hit something._

Cloud jumped at the loud crash of metal on the hardwood floor. He looked at Vincent. His expression had changed to one of anger, and his mechanical arm had been smashed through the floor, the wood splitting and splintering all around it. He didn't bother to remove it, as though he was still taking his anger out on the floorboards just by leaving it there.

Cloud decided he had had enough of this. He sat up slowly, his strength having still not fully returned, and crossed his legs in front of him as he used the wall to support his upper body. He looked at the gunner sternly. "Vincent. Tell me why this happened."

Vincent just turned his face away. How could he tell him?

Cloud's eyebrows furrowed as he frowned. "Vince. Tell me."

Vincent still said nothing.

"Tell me, damnit!"

Vincent winced. Cloud's anger was his fault, too. He cursed himself for always just making things worse.

He turned his head back slowly, managing to catch the younger man's eyes before reverting his gaze back to the gold on his boots. "I… don't know."

Cloud sighed, his frustration evident in the gesture. "You don't know."

Vincent remained silent.

"How can you not know? It was you back in that swamp. It was you standing there. It was all you. So why can't you tell me why this happened?"

The dark gunner lowered his head further. Cloud was right. It was all him. But… no, it wasn't. It was Hojo. It was Hojo and Lucrecia.

"I wasn't…" He started to speak, but trailed off. Cloud would never understand. Vincent didn't understand. Hojo had been there. Lucrecia had been there. But Cloud couldn't see them. Why?

"You weren't what, Vince?" The blond's voice was no longer angry or frustrated. Now he just sounded… sad. "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's wrong."

Vincent drew in a breath. "I don't know if you can help," he said quietly as he looked up at the swordsman. Cloud stared back at him, nothing but sorrowful concern in his expression. It made the gunner's mind swirl and he suddenly felt dizzy. He rested his forehead in his human hand, since he still hadn't pried his metal one out of the floor, and shook his head back and forth, clenching his eyes shut. "I just don't know."

Cloud felt unimaginable sympathy for his lover. He felt helpless because all he could do was sit and watch as Vincent completely broke down. "Vincent… Vince, come here." The gunner didn't move, just sat holding his head, breathing hard. It took all his strength, but Cloud managed to push himself forward so that he could ease himself down onto the floor in front of Vincent. Once he was balanced, he reached forward and gently rested his hand on the gunman's knee.

"Vince."

Vincent took a deep breath, and looked at Cloud. Painful confusion swirled around in his scarlet eyes, and it was like a swift kick in the stomach to the ex-SOLDIER. He reached further to touch the dark man's cheek. Vincent's eyes closed as he leaned into the touch.

They exchanged no words as Vincent pulled his hand out of the floor almost effortlessly and crawled over to Cloud's left, leaning his head on the blond's shoulder and falling into his embrace. Cloud held his lover and rested his head on top of Vincent's, sighing and wishing this hadn't happened; wishing they were home, cuddled together on the couch, instead of on the floor in a dark medical room.

He frowned and closed his eyes. _Some birthday._

* * *

The rest of their time spent at the fort was spent in silence, at least toward each other. They stayed for another two days, making sure all of Cloud's strength returned to him before they prepared to leave. Healer Tre gave them an extremely generous supply of healing items and insisted they take them for free. The two men finally agreed after much protesting, and packed their things in the saddle bags of Cloud's bike, which had miraculously been found and fixed, complete with all of Cloud's birthday presents. Had the two men not been so anxious to just get out of there, they would have spent much more time wondering exactly how everything had survived all that had happened.

By the time they were actually leaving the fort, both men had built up expertly placed emotional masks, being very careful to portray to the people of Fort Condor that everything was fine. The façades were so convincing, even Cloud and Vincent were beginning to believe them. Neither one cared, though. The more they believed everything was fine, the less they would have to talk or think about how things weren't fine at all.

The ride back to Junon was also silent. Cloud found it amazing, and a little unnerving, just how _normal_ it felt to be riding his bike back home with Vincent sitting on the back of it. It _was_ almost as if everything was fine. There were some significant differences though. For being so close to each other on the motorcycle, somehow Vincent was managing to not touch Cloud at all. He wasn't even holding on to him. This worried the swordsman, but he didn't say anything. He just made sure to drive carefully.

In all honesty, he didn't mind the space. He found himself not wanting Vincent to touch him; he couldn't help it. A barrier of trust between the men had been breeched, though neither wanted to admit it, and Cloud just didn't feel quite as safe as he used to when Vincent would touch him.

Similarly, Vincent didn't feel Cloud was safe either. He had not only broken Cloud's trust in him, he'd also broken his own trust in himself. He had even given up his guns. He gave them to Cloud, who wordlessly took them and put them in a saddlebag. The dark man didn't even want to look at them because they reminded him of his own disgusting actions. He was disgusted with himself. Disgusted with his weakness, with his guilt. He was disgusted that he could let something get to him so much. It made him want to rip his hair out, and he would have, had he not been holding on to the seat of the bike so he wouldn't fall off.

They ignored the stares from the townspeople of Junon as they exited the elevator that took them to the upper level. Cloud drove down Main Street to his building and into his driveway, parking the bike in the garage when he got there. The two men dismounted the bike, still in silence. Together they unpacked the contents of the saddlebags and exited the garage.

The only way into the apartment building where Cloud lived was through the front, so they had to walk almost completely around the building since the garage was in the back. When they reached the front stoop, Cloud set his armload down on the stairs to find his keys in his pocket.

"Cloud!" came a happy squeal from behind him, causing him to jump a little. He turned around to find Lydia standing at the bottom of the stairs with two giggling friends. Cloud mentally rolled his eyes. It wasn't that he didn't like the girl, just… well, he didn't feel like being happy at that particular moment. Nevertheless, he put up his mask and smiled at the girls, though it wasn't as heart stopping as usual.

"Hi, girls," He said with a wave, using his other hand to continue looking for his keys.

Vincent watched the girls with disinterest as they fidgeted excitedly when Cloud acknowledged them.

Lydia, being the most confident of the three, propped her hands on her hips and glared at Cloud. "Where have you been for the past week?"

_Week? Has it really been that long?_ "I… I was visiting a friend." It wasn't necessarily a lie. He had originally left to visit Tifa. It had just… taken a bit longer than expected.

"Well, I missed you!" Lydia said with a bat of her eyelashes. Her two friends only giggled.

Cloud gave them a half smile. "I missed you, too."

That caused an uproar of giggles. Vincent rolled his eyes at the display. Why must Cloud provoke them? Couldn't they just go inside? His arms were starting to get tired.

Cloud finally pulled his keys out of his back pocket. Funny that that's where they would be. Funny in an ironic sort of way. Both men thought so.

Cloud looked at the girls. "Listen, I'm kind of tired from my… trip. I'll see you later, okay?"

The hesitation in Cloud's statement made Vincent wince but the girls didn't seem to notice it. They nodded happily and shuffled off, and Lydia made sure to blow Cloud a kiss before catching up with her friends. Cloud unlocked the door and picked up his things. Vincent followed him in and kicked the door shut behind him. They walked up the stairs, the silence again falling over them, to the top floor, the fifth, and stopped at the door to Cloud's apartment. When they got in, Vincent put his load of stuff on the kitchen table.

"Thanks," Cloud muttered quietly as he did the same. Vincent only nodded.

They stood there awkwardly for a few minutes and it seemed like there was a whole world between them, not just the kitchen table. Cloud was first to speak.

"Are you… going home?" Part of him didn't want Vincent to stay, but another part wanted to cling to him desperately. He figured he would leave it up to Vincent.

The gunner avoided eye contact. "I suppose."

"Oh." Cloud sounded disappointed.

"I could stay."

Cloud suddenly sighed frustratedly. "Do whatever you want. I'm going to take a shower." And with that, he left the room. He wanted Vincent to leave. He wanted Vincent to stay. He growled as he walked into his bedroom and grabbed his towel. He wasn't sure _what_ he wanted Vincent to do. He just wanted to take a shower… a long, hot shower. As he made his way into the bathroom, he vaguely heard the sound of dishes clanking together. So, Vincent was going to stay. Cloud had always found it a little odd that Vincent would be the type to clean when he was upset. But at the moment, he didn't care. The shower was calling to him.

He kicked off his boots at the door to his bathroom, peeling off his socks and tossing them in a basket. As he pushed the door shut he undid his pants, not caring that the door didn't close all the way. He wouldn't admit it, but he was trying to be a little bit of a tease. It was almost as if it was the only way he could take out his frustration on Vincent, showing him what he was missing. It didn't matter that they were in completely different rooms.

Perhaps he was being childish, but Cloud didn't care. He pulled off his clothing and looked at himself in the mirror for a minute. He was filthy. The healer at the fort had only cleaned and dressed his wounds, which were scarring over now, the result of the wonder that was mako. The two large scars over his right hip where the snake had bitten him vaguely resembled tire tracks, for some reason. His eyes traveled to his shoulder. It was significantly obvious that it was a bullet wound. He raised his arm and ran his fingers over it lightly. It was hard and calloused. It would never go away; a permanent scar that wasn't just physical.

He sighed and walked across the room to turn on the shower. He stepped in immediately, not bothering to give it a chance to warm up. The coldness didn't bother him at all. It felt good to just stand there under it. He let the water slide all the way down his body as it slowly grew hotter, relaxing his strained muscles and washing away the dirt on his skin. Perhaps, if he stayed there long enough, it would wash away the dirt on his mind, as well.

* * *

. It's getting so angsty! I love it! *sings to tune of "If You're Happy and You Know It"* If you love it, and you know it, please review! *claps hands* If you hate it, and you know it, please review! *claps hands* If you hate it or you love it, or you think you're far above it, either way I am proud of it, please review!*dances*

Cloud: *stares*  
Vincent: *stares*  
Omni: What? *grin*  
Vincent: *runs away* Make it stop!  
Cloud: *runs away* Vince! Wait for me!  
Omni: *continues singing and dancing*


	10. That Sinking Feeling

**A/N: **Hoo, boy! I had fuuuun writing this chapter! It's so lemony fresh that my head is spinning. ^^; Sorry it took so long. I kind of lost my muse. Then I was just like, "Damn it, Omni! Write something!" So I did. And then I couldn't stop. *grin*

By the way, before I forget, I'd like to thank my most wonderfulest bestest friend for pushing me out of the hole I dug myself into with this chapter. I love you forever #1! ^^

* * *

**Chapter 9 – That Sinking Feeling**

He wasn't sure why he stayed. Cloud seemed like he didn't want him there. Perhaps it was for his own sanity, or lack thereof. He wasn't sure. He just knew that Cloud's dishes were dirty, and he felt the need to clean them. He needed something systematic, mechanical, something that he didn't have to think about in order to accomplish.

Almost violently, he scrubbed. Cloud had a dishwasher, but it was far more satisfying to scrub away the filth himself. He scrubbed, and rinsed, and scrubbed, and rinsed. He was so into his cleaning, he didn't realize exactly how hard he was scrubbing, and he accidentally smashed a glass by gripping it too hard in his artificial arm. Growling to himself, he cleaned up the shards of glass, and put away the last of the dishes as he finished washing them.

Cloud was still in the shower after his twenty-minute war with the dishes. Vincent stood in the middle of the kitchen and almost desperately tried to think of something else he could do. He thought about clearing the pile of gifts from the table, but figured Cloud might want to do that himself so he could put them where he wanted them. He thought about cooking something, but he wasn't hungry, and doubted that Cloud was either. He finally settled on seeing if Cloud had laundry that needed to be done. If he had been in a lighter mood, he probably would have laughed at his perfect-little-housewife behavior.

He walked into the ex-SOLDIER's bedroom and immediately began to gather clothes. He picked up a few shirts from the bed, a pair of pants from the back of a chair, and Cloud's pajama pants. He tossed them into the basket next to the bathroom door, which he finally noticed was open; steam pouring out and dissipating into the bedroom. His mind was set in cleaning mode, and he didn't think twice about walking into the bathroom to find more clothes.

A thick mist filled his lungs when he walked into the bathroom. He knew Cloud was in the shower, but his mind didn't actually register that they were even in the same room until he looked up from the floor after collecting more of Cloud's clothes, which he promptly dropped when he took in the blond's naked form behind the overly transparent shower curtain. His figure was only just blurred enough by the curtain that the gunner couldn't see the minuscule details of his features, but it was enough to make out everything else… _everything_ else.

Vincent was mesmerized, and Cloud knew it. The blond let out a triumphant chuckle that was from neither happiness nor amusement. His satisfaction was immature, but it made him feel better. He turned his back to the gunner and continued running the soapy washcloth over his body.

Vincent suddenly felt embarrassed. He quickly picked up the clothes he had dropped and rushed out of the room, leaving Cloud still with his back turned as he rinsed himself off.

The gunner hastily dropped the clothes into the basket once he was back in Cloud's bedroom and lifted it, wondering where exactly he was moving it. Cloud didn't have a washer or dryer in the apartment. He put it down again and felt his heart jump a little when he heard the shower being turned off. He wasn't sure why he was so nervous. He just… felt like he shouldn't be there.

Cloud pulled the bathroom door open and strode out casually with a stark white towel around his waist, contrasting the slight tan of his skin nicely. Vincent was still standing next to the laundry basket, wringing his hands and quite obviously trying not to look at the swordsman.

How could he not want to stare at the blond? His toned muscles and peachy skin were covered in tiny droplets of water that he hadn't bothered to brush off; his hair was damp and shot out every which way, the tips of each spike slowly dripping more water droplets onto strong shoulders, under which Vincent could see the muscles tensing and relaxing as Cloud walked across the room and fished through his drawers for something to wear. The dark man groaned inwardly as he felt his pants grow tighter. That was _not _something he wanted to be concentrating on at the moment.

"You've got a lot of nerve to be staring the way you are." Cloud's words were cold, his tone almost dripping with contempt.

Anger rose in the gunman. "You've got a lot of nerve to be strutting about the way _you_ are." He'd had enough of his own self-loathing. Cloud was just being cocky now.

The blond turned to face him and shot him an icy glare. "It's nothing you haven't seen before."

The gunner scowled and took a deep breath. Why were they fighting? "This will get us nowhere," he stated.

Cloud scoffed. "Who said I was trying to get anywhere?"

Vincent's eyebrows furrowed. If Cloud felt like picking a fight, he might just give him one. He had his own artillery. With a roll of his scarlet eyes, he crossed his arms over his chest and looked the other way.

Cloud cocked an eyebrow and walked around the bed. "Pulling the silent treatment on me, huh? Don't you think that's a bit immature?"

Vincent didn't answer him, as was expected. Typical.

Cloud sat on the bed and pointed a finger at him. "Don't get all 'high and mighty' on me."

Red eyes turned and stared at him coolly. Cloud exhaled and ran a hand through his wet hair. He felt like this should be one of those times when one's eye should start twitching, but nothing ever worked like that in real life. He was frustrated beyond belief, and the silence wasn't helping.

Vincent eyed the blond as he stood and started pacing angrily. He felt his guilt returning as he caught sight of the younger man's healing scars, but he still refused to speak. Cloud walked over to him and looked at him angrily, the mako in his cerulean eyes glowing.

"I want to know why! I want to know why this happened! I want to know why you won't talk to me! I want to know why _you're_ acting like nothing's wrong!" He jabbed a finger in Vincent's face as the volume of his voice grew louder, his other hand keeping the damp towel from falling off his hips.

Vincent's eyes blazed, his own mako enhancements making them look like fire. "_I'm_ acting like nothing's wrong?" So much for the silent treatment.

Cloud threw his free hand out to the side. "Well you won't talk to me, so what else am I supposed to think?"

The gunner's expression wavered before his eyes fell. "I just… Well, I don't understand it, so how could you?"

Cloud sighed, his arm falling to his side. "Can't you just _tell me_ what happened?"

Vincent didn't raise his eyes as he spoke quietly. "I… I wasn't aiming at you."

Cloud didn't expect that. He blinked a few times and stared at the elder man. "What?"

Vincent looked up at him finally. "I wasn't aiming at you."

Cloud stared at him. "Sure looked like you were." He absentmindedly raised his hand to run his fingers over the rough scar on his shoulder, and his tone softened a little. "…felt like you were."

Vincent's gaze followed Cloud's fingers. Hesitantly, he reached over to lightly touch the wound as well. As his fingertips brushed the hardened flesh, he closed his eyes. "I'm sorry," he whispered. When the words fell from his lips, the dark gunner realized it was the first time he'd said them. His eyes opened and he looked back to Cloud. "I'm so sorry."

A drop of water from Cloud's hair fell onto Vincent's hand and started to slide down slowly. Cloud gently wiped it away, as if it were a tear. Instead of responding to the gunner's apology, he just moved forward and pressed their lips together. Vincent was uncertain, but let Cloud do what he wanted, for now.

Cloud was oblivious to Vincent's apprehension. He suddenly found himself feeling a very primal _need_ for the gunman as he used his free hand to clumsily attempt to undo Vincent's cape. His lips moved furiously as he all but attacked the older man, who merely stood there as his cape fell to the floor.

The swordsman's fingers moved to the top button on Vincent's shirt and began working it open. As those fingers brushed over his skin, the raven-haired man suddenly flinched and stepped back. "No, Cloud."

Something unidentifiable flashed in Cloud's eyes. The blond reached out again and grabbed a chunk of Vincent's shirt and pulled him closer. The gunner's human hand wrapped around Cloud's wrist as he tried to back away. "No, Cloud!"

He pulled away and retreated to the wall opposite the bed. Cloud stood in the middle of the room and looked at him angrily. "Vincent, what is _wrong_?"

The dark man just sank to the floor and wrapped his arms around his legs without answering.

Cloud sat down on the bed heavily and leaned on his knees, running a hand over his face and sighing. "I'm just… tired of fighting, of being completely in the dark. I'm sick of it, Vince. So fucking sick of it."

Vincent took a deep breath and stretched his legs out as he leaned his head on the wall behind him. "I can't hurt you again. I _won't_."

Cloud stood, being careful to keep the towel in place. "So you've just decided to not even touch me?"

The gunner spoke with clenched teeth. "If that's what it takes."

"I won't accept that." The blond walked over and knelt at Vincent's feet. "You hurt me by avoiding me. I _want_ you. I _want_ you to touch me." The gunner looked into Cloud's eyes as the younger man crawled up to sit astride his legs. He leaned forward and whispered in Vincent's ear. "I _want_ you to make it hurt." Even as he whispered, the older man could detect the deep lust in Cloud's tone and it made him tremble. "_Hurt_ me, Vince." He took Vincent's arms gently by the wrists and put them on his hips. "Make me _scream._"

The gunman couldn't suppress the groan that escaped him when Cloud pressed his hands to the wall on either side of his head and pushed their hips together. His breath was hot on Vincent's ear as he let out a rather feral growl. "C'mon, Vince. Forget what happened. I _want_ you."

"I… don't, I don't want to—" The gunner was promptly cut off by a needy kiss. Cloud broke the contact almost immediately and started nipping at Vincent's jawbone, speaking between bites and small kisses.

"I don't care if you hurt me. I'm asking you to. _Hurt_ me, Vince." His left hand slipped down over the dark man's shoulder and started working on the black buttons of Vincent's shirt again. The gunner couldn't speak. He wanted to protest, but… no. No, he didn't want to protest. He wanted to tackle the blond soldier in his lap. Cloud's tongue slipped over his Adam's apple, and he lost it.

Without any warning, Vincent's human hand grabbed Cloud by the hair, forcing his head back and earning the gunner a very satisfying yelp from the blond. His neck now exposed, Vincent took the chance to attack the sensitive flesh with tongue and teeth alike. His mechanical hand lightly scraped down the younger man's back, eliciting more very pleasing sounds as Cloud's fingers entangled themselves in Vincent's hair, removing his headband and flinging it to the side.

With surprising ease, considering their position, the gunner managed to use the wall to push them forward so that Cloud was underneath him on the floor. The younger man clawed at his shirt, miraculously managing to get it off without ripping it or losing any buttons. Vincent roughly scraped his teeth down the side of Cloud's neck, making him whimper in a mix of pain and pleasure. The gunner again used his claw-like arm to scratch down the blond's shoulder and along his chest, tracing around a taut nipple just hard enough to leave marks, but not blood.

Cloud's back arched into him in the most erotic and graceful display Vincent had ever seen. It only fueled him further when the blond panted out, "…Bed…"

As requested, Vincent actually lifted Cloud off the floor, towel and all, and gruffly tossed him onto the bed when he was next to it. The towel hadn't stayed tucked around the blond's waist, but it was somehow still managing to cover him where he had intended to be covered. Vincent pondered this only for a second before he was pulled forward by the hem of his pants to land on his knees next to the swordsman, who was unbuttoning the very pants he had just used to his advantage with one hand, and flinging his towel away with the other.

Vincent took that time to open the small drawer of the bedside table and pull out a small, unmarked, black bottle as Cloud covered his chest with kisses. His ability to concentrate was dwindling and nearly left him completely when the ex-SOLDIER's hands slipped into his pants, taking what seemed an obscene amount of time to remove them.

Cloud grabbed the bottle and flipped the top open before squeezing some of the viscous liquid onto his hand. Using his other hand, he pulled the gunner down on top of him and crashed their mouths together as the hand with the liquid slipped between Vincent's legs. The older man's moan was lost in Cloud's mouth as the blond coated his arousal with the warm oil.

Cloud pulled Vincent's hips closer to his own, grinding them together with a grunt. The gunman's teeth raked over the younger man's shoulder, over the bullet wound without a thought, leaving small bite marks as Cloud thrust his hips up again. "Vince… I need you, _now_…"

Vincent grabbed the black bottle with his metal hand and started to open it, intending to use it to prepare Cloud, but the blond stopped him and took the bottle away. "No… I want it to _hurt_." The gunner looked into blue eyes with genuine concern but the owner of those eyes just pulled him down for a desperate kiss. "Please, Vince…" he panted.

Vincent was going to protest, but Cloud's fingernails suddenly scraped over his shoulder blades in a trail that led right to his backside, completely erasing any thoughts of dissent. He groaned and wrapped his arms around the blond as he sunk into him. Cloud let out a loud, scream-like moan and arched his back as he locked his legs around Vincent's waist, pulling him deeper.

His instincts having taken over, Vincent did not hesitate to start moving. He dipped his head down over the incredibly beautiful creature beneath him and licked a circle around a nipple before biting it gently. Cloud writhed under him, meeting his every movement with a feverish enthusiasm and a very pleasing scream.

He made sure to angle himself so that he would hit Cloud's sensitive spot with every push, driving the blond to release some maddeningly exhilarating sounds. His tongue ran over Cloud's slightly sweaty chest, the saltiness of his skin making him yearn to taste more. He felt himself close to release, and he knew Cloud was as well when the swordsman's muscles tightened around him. Leaning closer to the blond, he made sure the younger man's arousal would rub against their stomachs as they moved, and that idea proved to be worthwhile when Cloud gasped in pleasure, too exhausted to really let his voice out. Vincent came moments later and collapsed on top of the ex-SOLDIER, neither one caring about what kind of mess they had made.

Vincent slowly pulled himself along Cloud's body, as if he were climbing a rope, placing tired kisses on the blond's torso and chest as he made his way up. Cloud's eyes were closed and his breathing was labored, but his lips were curled in a very faint smile as Vincent kissed them. The swordsman sighed as Vincent settled himself next to him, resting his head on a scarred shoulder.

They lay still for a moment, catching their breath, before Cloud turned to Vincent and looked at him with half-lidded eyes. "Vincent?"

The gunner was on the verge of sleep, but answered with a breathy, "Hmm?"

Cloud hesitated a moment. "Are we… okay?"

Red eyes opened and wavered sleepily before focusing on blue ones. "I should be asking you that."

The blond chuckled quietly and sighed, absentmindedly twirling Vincent's hair around his fingers. Vincent leaned up and reached down to the foot of the bed with his human hand, bringing the sheets up and covering them both, and then they were lost to their dreams.

* * *

He didn't know where he was. There were no sounds, no lights, nothing but his own shaky breathing and wobbly footsteps. All around him was black. There weren't any walls, any doors. He wasn't even sure if he was walking on a floor. Only the sound of his metal boots clanking on something told him that there was even something to stand on. As for where he was going, he couldn't imagine, but he somehow knew that he should keep going, as if he was being called. No, _beckoned_

.

The air was stale and still. Even his own movements seemed to create no motion, and it was all a bit unsettling. But he couldn't shake the feeling that he was being lured to something, drawn by an invisible force that gave his feet a mind of their own. Something clicked behind him and he whipped around, human hand going straight for the gun attached to his right hip. When he saw nothing but the blackness, he walked toward where he thought he heard the sound and suddenly crashed into something hard.

Feeling around a bit helped him prove to himself that it was a door that had been shut behind him and locked tightly, given away by the immobile doorknobs that his hand brushed over. A sinking feeling grew in the pit of his stomach as he turned and faced the blackness once again.

It felt like a curtain had been pulled over his vision, and the lack of sight made his eyes water. But as he continued, he thought he could make out a very small sliver of light coming from somewhere up ahead; a line of silvery illumination sitting close to what he presumed to be the floor.

As he approached it, a curious sound filled the air, almost undetectable at first. When he came nearer to the light, he felt his brows crease in confusion. It sounded like… moaning.

Listening closely as he continued walking, he identified that it was indeed moaning, and that it was significantly male.

And frighteningly familiar.

He now stood directly in front of the light, which was at his feet, shining under what he assumed to be a door. He listened for a second to what sounded like shuffling bodies and muffled cries and concern rose in him as he pictured some sort of attack waging in the room. Metallic fingers wrapped around the doorknob and turned forcefully before he bashed the surprisingly heavy door with his shoulder to push it open.

It was an understatement to say that what he saw surprised him. 'Shocked' was a better term to use as the silvery light hit his eyes.

Cloud was perched in the lap of an unknown man, both very naked, and both very active. The blond swordsman let out a shrill cry as the mysterious man thrust into him from behind and pinned his arms between them, making sure to continue to hide his identity behind the screaming angel bouncing in his lap. He did, however, let out a sinister chuckle that shook the gunman to the core, and before he knew what was happening, he was aiming his gun at the man, inadvertently aiming it at Cloud as well.

The man spoke in a voice that was equally as chilling and sinister as his laugh, as if he were doing nothing at all. "Oh Vincent Valentine. What do you expect to gain by shooting me? Aside from more of Cloud's blood on your conscience, of course."

Vincent's gun arm trembled, but wouldn't move, as if he had no control over his body. Cloud seemed completely oblivious to the fact that Vincent was there, pointing a gun at his heart. He seemed oblivious to _everything_ that was happening around him, a look of pure ecstasy gracing his features. "What is happening here? Who are you?" Vincent questioned shakily, not being able to pry his eyes from his lover's form submitting to another.

More bone-chilling laughter came from behind Cloud, but that was all. Vincent's fingers unwittingly cocked the gun. "Who are you?" he questioned again.

"Why not let Cloud answer that question?" The voice was deep, husky, extremely masculine, and it echoed in Vincent's head.

Vincent felt his fingers tighten around the trigger. He tried to keep them from pulling it, but it was strangely hard to make them comply. He vaguely felt like he _wanted_ to shoot.

As Vincent fought the urge to fire, Cloud suddenly emitted a loud moan and screamed something the gunner never thought he would hear.

"_Aaaahh… Seph… SEPHIROTH!"_

The gunner only saw a flash of silver hair before his fingers won the battle and pulled the trigger.

* * *

Vincent sat up with a sharp intake of breath, chills running through him from the cold sweat on his body. He looked around frantically for a moment before realizing he was only in Cloud's bed, and it was only a dream. He sighed and rubbed a hand over his face. Cloud stirred next to him and his arm sleepily ran across the area where the gunner had just been lying, searching for him. Vincent lay back down, taking Cloud's arm by the wrist and placing it around his waist before snuggling back into the warmth of his lover's embrace.

_It was only a dream…_ he thought as he rested his head on Cloud's shoulder. The scar from the bullet wound brushed against his cheek and he shuddered, not being able to keep the vision of Cloud lying in the swamp, bleeding, from creeping into his head. He watched his hand resting on Cloud's stomach, his thumb rubbing back and forth over the soft flesh just to the left the blond's navel.

Cloud sighed and turned his head towards him. "Mmm… Vince…"

Vincent was about to answer, but he realized with an amused chuckle that Cloud was still asleep.

Cloud, apparently, didn't. "What time is it?" he muttered drowsily.

Vincent looked at the digital clock on the table next to Cloud's bed, a small smile gracing his lips. "One thirty."

Cloud stayed silent for a moment. "Is it time to feed Cubunya?"

The gunner had to use all of his will power to keep from bursting into laughter. This wasn't the first time this had happened, and Vincent, over the years, had come to the conclusion that 'Cubunya' was some kind of imaginary pet rabbit that Cloud thought he had, but only when he was sleeping.

"No, Cloud, I fed her earlier."

Cloud swallowed and sighed again. "Oh. Thanks." And then he was silent.

Vincent laughed quietly as he pulled Cloud closer and buried his face under his lover's chin. "What would I do without you, Cloud?" he whispered into the younger man's neck before giving himself over to sleep once again, thoughts of the chocobo-haired swordsman completely replacing those of the nightmare.

* * *

**A/N:** How's that for a twist?I know it sounds an awful lot like a bunch of fluff, but I swear it all has to do with the plot. Well, except, maybe, for the part about the imaginary bunny. That was solely for Troi's personal amusement. ^_^ Love ya Troi!

Now, Rufus Shinra, the President of Shin-Ra Electric Company, commands you to review! (I'd do what he says too, he's kind of scary sometimes… even if I do think he's adorable.)

Rufus: _What?_  
Omni: Nothing! ^^;


	11. I Do Love You

**A/N:** I know everyone says this, but I'm sooo sorry for taking so long. What's it been… three weeks? I really just couldn't make myself write more than a few sentences at a time for a while there. But then I had an amazing breakthrough in my Genetics class, of all places, and I just grabbed a notebook and started writing. It was great. And so now, I have a chapter to post. I have to admit though, I actually didn't accomplish exactly what I wanted to accomplish in this chapter, but next chapter for sure, something very dramatic will happen. I promise. Okay, I'm going to shut up now. ^_^

* * *

**Chapter 10 – I Do Love You**

_Tap. Tap, tap. Pause. TAP, TAP, TAP._

Vincent groaned as the sound reached his ears. He felt like he'd been awoken from years of sleep, and he was one who knew exactly what that felt like. The sound came again, forcing crimson eyes to pry themselves open. Bright sunlight shone in through the window and hit him squarely in the face, making him blink a few times in order to adjust.

More tapping. The gunner sighed and slowly sat up. He briefly wondered where his covers had gone, before he found Cloud completely cocooned in the sheets.

"Little thief," he whispered with a small chuckle and a run of his fingers through blond hair.

The tapping came again, forcing the raven-haired man to slide off the bed and pick up his black silk boxers. He slipped them on and rubbed his eyes tiredly, still not entirely awake. Loud knocking replaced the tapping. "Yes, yes, I'm coming!" Vincent growled.

The kitchen floor was cold on his bare feet as he walked across the room to the door. With a tired yawn that seemed to completely overtake his entire face, he unlocked the deadbolt and swung the door open casually.

"Valentine? What're you doin' here?"

Vincent jumped and let out gasp. "Cid?"

The pilot scratched his head. "Thought Cloud lived here."

Vincent could feel a blush creeping into his cheeks as he thought about what must be going through Cid's head. He tried his best to force it away. "Y—yes, he does."

Cid looked rather dumbly pensive for a second, before shrugging and walking past Vincent and into the kitchen. The gunner closed the door behind him, still concentrating on not blushing.

Cid stood in the middle of the room for a moment, slightly confused by the gunman's presence. He was at _Cloud's_ apartment, and here was a half naked Vincent standing in front of him. Though, he did have to admit to himself that it wasn't at all an unappealing sight.

"So… why are you here?"

Both men looked at each other for a moment before laughing awkwardly at themselves for asking the same question at the very same time.

"I came ta see why the little guy never came ta get the Bronco."

So, no one had heard about what happened. For some reason, this relieved the dark-haired gunner. "Oh."

Cid had to suppress a laugh. Vincent seemed to have forgotten that he wasn't wearing anything but his boxers.

The older blond cleared his throat. "So… where's Cloud?"

Vincent, a bit dazed, snapped his attention to the pilot who was staring at him expectantly. "What? Oh, he's, um—"

"Vince? Where'd you—Ahh! Cid!"

Cid whipped around just in time to see Cloud's naked body disappear behind a door. Blond eyebrows went up in surprise as the door slammed shut before the pilot turned back to a red-faced gunman. "So he is here."

Vincent couldn't do anything but stand there with his mouth hanging slightly open, staring at Cloud's door. Cid walked up to him and used his index finger to push the gunner's mouth closed. Chuckling, he lowered his voice as he spoke. "Ya might wanna go put some clothes on, Vince."

The pale gunner blinked a couple of times before sidestepping around Cid and backing to the door behind which Cloud had vanished. "I—I'll be right back," he said as he opened the door and went inside.

The pilot cocked an eyebrow. _So, Cloud and Vincent, hmm? Interesting. Had a feelin' 'bout Cloud, but Vincent?_

He shrugged his shoulders and pulled out one of the chairs around the kitchen table. Chuckling quietly to himself, he sat down and draped one arm over the back of the chair. _But then, I s'pose no one would guess 'bout me, either._

He replayed the events of a few minutes ago in his head, letting himself linger on the glimpse he had caught of Cloud. _Kid's got a nice build. Prob'ly from cartin' that huge ass sword around all the time. What's taking them so long?_

"You guys gonna come out any time soon?" He laughed as soon as it was out of his mouth. He hadn't intended the double meaning, but he wasn't about to correct himself.

The door opened a crack and Cid had to dodge the flying boot that was expertly aimed right for his head. Probably Vincent. Only a well-practiced shooter could aim like that without even looking. He laughed again at that thought. This situation simply begged for innuendo.

Cloud and Vincent finally emerged from what he could now see was the bedroom. He'd assumed as much when Cloud had run back in completely naked, figuring that's where one runs when something like that happens. Not that he'd ever been in that position before. He managed to hold in his laughter when he again found innuendo in his thoughts. There were a number of positions he had yet to try.

Cloud walked over to the pilot, quite obviously trying to compose himself, and now fully dressed. "Hi, Cid."

Cid stood to greet the younger blond. "Hey, kiddo."

Vincent scowled at the pilot and walked over to the refrigerator to pull out a bottle of water. "Want anything?" he asked, addressing both blonds.

"Nah, I'm good," Cid said as he sat back down again.

"Toss me a water, will you?" Cloud caught the bottle easily as he sat down next to the pilot, and Vincent shut the fridge.

Cid cleared his throat and smirked. "So… when's the wedding?"

Cloud spit out his mouthful of water and Vincent locked angry, red eyes on the pilot, who was laughing hysterically in his chair. "Man, you guys are priceless!"

Vincent and Cloud exchanged glances. Neither one found this as entertaining as Cid was making it out to be. Cloud and looked back to the pilot. "Cid."

"I wish I had a camera!"

"Cid—"

The older blond continued laughing.

Cloud slammed his water down on the table, a few drops flying out of the bottle from the top and splashing on the swordsman's arm. "CID!"

The pilot sniffled a bit and wiped his eyes as he calmed himself. "What?" he asked, turning to look at the younger blond.

Cloud straightened and cast a sidelong glance to Vincent. "There's nothing going on here." As soon as he said it, the swordsman immediately regretted it because of the flash of hurt he caught in Vincent's eyes, but he honestly didn't want anyone to know about their relationship besides the people for whom he thought it was necessary, like Tifa.

Cid chuckled heartily. "Like hell there ain't! Gotta admit here, guys, I never saw it comin'."

Cloud's voice wavered a bit. "Th-there's never been… anything to see coming." Gods, he didn't like lying about it. It almost physically hurt him to say the words. But no one could know. He stared into his water bottle, avoiding the humor-filled eyes that were as blue as his own.

Cid slouched in his chair and snickered. "Whatever you say, kid."

Cloud cleared his throat and poked the water droplets on the table from his earlier spill, searching for some way to change the subject. "So, what brings you here?" he asked, addressing the pilot across the table.

Cid looked at the younger blond, carefully considering whether or not he wanted to keep teasing him. He decided against it… temporarily. "Ah, yes, I came ta see why ya never came ta get the Bronco."

Cloud visibly relaxed. "Oh, right. Sorry about that. I've… been busy."

Cid snickered. "I'll bet ya have."

The swordsman glared at him, angry blue eyes glowing with mako.

The pilot turned his eyes to the silent gunner standing in the corner of the room next to the stove. Vincent's eyes were downcast, fixed on something only he could see as he traced the outline of the buttons on the oven with a finger. Glancing back to Cloud, and again to Vincent, he chuckled. "You got anything ta say back there?"

The gunman didn't even acknowledge that anyone had spoken to him. He just huffed out a breath and started toward the front door, his cape following him dramatically. Two pairs of blue eyes watched him quickly stalk across the kitchen and out the door, shutting it behind him.

Cloud sighed frustratedly and looked back to Cid. "Fine. We've been together for three years. Happy now?" he said as he got up to go after the gunner.

"_Three years?_" Cid yelled, surprised, but Cloud had already gone out the door and slammed it behind him, leaving Cid to his own thoughts. "Three years…" he repeated to himself. They'd managed to hide it for that long? _Well, I s'pose it wouldn't be that hard. They did kind of keep to themselves after that whole Sephiroth thing. No one heard from 'em. Not even Tifa._

"Hmm." It was interesting to think about. In retrospect, Cid realized, Cloud and Vincent had always hung around each other a lot. Even during the Sephiroth mission, they were always together. The rest of the team had just thought they were talking about battle strategies or something. But battle strategies didn't require privacy. Cid raised his eyebrows and suppressed a laugh. _Those sneaky little bastards._

He heard mumbling outside the door. _Heh, looks like Vince didn't get too far._ He sat back and waited for Cloud to come back inside.

* * *

Cloud rushed out the door after blurting out that he and Vincent were together, his face feeling as though it were burning. He slammed the door behind him, letting it swing shut with a bang that echoed down the long stairwell of his apartment building. Without even thinking he started down the stairs, intending to go after Vincent, when a voice stopped him.

"Did you really think I was going to leave?"

The swordsman turned and looked up from his position halfway down the first flight of stairs. Vincent stood next to his apartment door, leaning against the wall and staring at the floor. Cloud sighed and started slowly back up the stairs, not bothering to answer the gunman's question.

"I'm sorry," he blurted out when he was standing next to the older man.

"Hmph." At least he hadn't reverted to the silent treatment.

"Really. I told him after you walked out."

"I heard."

Cloud stuffed his hands in his pockets. The gunner still stared at the floor, unmoving.

After a moment of thick silence, Vincent looked up at the blond swordsman. "Why do you feel the need to hide it from people?"

Cloud shifted uncomfortably. "I really don't know. I just… I don't know."

"Are you ashamed?"

Cloud pulled a hand out of his pocket and ran it through his hair. "It's not that. I just feel like it isn't anyone's business."

Vincent eyed him, unconvinced, his eyebrows lowering. "You're afraid they'll think you to be weak."

Cloud's hand stopped mid-run. "…N—no…"

Vincent pushed off of the wall and stepped closer to the swordsman. "Yes you are. You're afraid to let anyone see you show weakness. You're even afraid to show me, sometimes."

Cloud turned his head and stared at a crack in the wall.

Vincent tilted his head sideways a little, looking at the blond in front of him. "I watched you, Cloud. From the moment you opened my coffin, I watched you. The rest of the group looked to you to be a leader, and you took that very seriously, perhaps too seriously. Cloud, look at me."

Hesitantly, blue eyes turned to the gunner and locked onto red ones.

"You don't need to be afraid of showing weakness. No one wants you to be some kind of super hero. You've already saved us once." Cloud looked unsure, so Vincent gently pulled him into a hug. The swordsman settled into the warmth of his lover and sighed deeply, inhaling the gunner's scent.

"Cloud, showing love for someone isn't being weak. It takes a strong person to love, and an even stronger person to admit it." _So why can't you admit it, Cloud?_

Cloud winced. Luckily, his face was buried in Vincent's cloak, so the gunman didn't notice. There was meaning behind that last statement, and Cloud knew it. He pulled away from his dark-haired lover and stepped back, keeping his eyes downcast.

Vincent looked at him longingly for a second before sighing and turning to go back into the apartment.

Cloud watched after him, letting out his own sigh. _I do love you, Vincent, even if I can't say it. Every time I say that to someone, that someone ends up dead. I won't kill you, too._ Cloud sighed again, and followed the gunner's lead, walking into his apartment and closing the door.

Cid was still sitting at the kitchen table, a goofy grin on his face. "You lovebirds work everything out?"

Vincent made a sort of grunting noise and calmly walked into the bedroom, shutting the door behind him.

Cloud followed him with his eyes until he disappeared and then looked to Cid. "Everything's fine." His tone held no emotion—it was completely flat—but Cid decided to leave it alone. Besides, he kind of liked the little pouty look Cloud was making.

_Woah. Did I just think Cloud was cute? Back up, Cid. You've never liked him before. No need ta start now._ Brushing the thought away, Cid cleared his throat. "So, ya never answered my question."

Cloud's eyebrows rose slightly. "Hmm?"

Cid rolled his eyes, more for effect than an actual purpose. "The Bronco?"

Cloud shook his head. "Oh right. Will my bike fit inside it?"

Cid shrugged. "Dunno. Probably. Don't see why not."

The swordsman walked to the counter next to the sink and leaned his hip against it. "Okay, then I'll come get it sometime this week. I can ride my bike to your place and then fly back, right?"

The pilot stayed silent for a moment. "That sounds good. I'll… have ta teach ya ta fly it though. That might take a couple days."

Cloud shrugged. "Fine." Nothing wrong with spending a few days with Cid. Maybe they could catch up. It had been a while since they really spent any time together. "That would be fun."

Cid eyed the younger blond a bit suspiciously. "Right… fun." Cloud's tone was still quite flat. Maybe he was just tired. It was pretty early in the morning. "Well, I'll see you sometime soon then," the pilot said as he stood and stretched.

"Yup."

Cid pulled out a cigarette as he made his way to the door, pressing it between his lips. Before he left, he turned and winked at the swordsman and closed the door behind him.

Cloud stared at the closed door, wondering what had just happened, exactly, but not wanting to linger on it. He shrugged it off and went over to his bedroom door, pushing it open slowly and peeking in. "Vince?"

The gunner was sitting on the bed, his elbows propped on his knees in a very uncharacteristic slouch as he stared out the window. Cloud slipped in and quietly closed the door behind him. He briefly wondered why he was closing the door, since there was no one else in the house, but somehow the room just felt more private with the door shut.

Cloud made his way over to the bed and sat down next to the pensive gunman. He followed his gaze out the window, seeing nothing but the view of a far away beach that was the reason Cloud had chosen this apartment. Because of the distance, the two men could barely see the waves moving, but the blue of the water nicely contrasted the light brown sand and gave the beach a peaceful ambiance.

They sat for a while, just staring out the window. Vincent didn't stir when Cloud moved to rest his head on the gunner's shoulder. He only watched as two people-shaped dots walked along the beach holding hands.

He knew Cloud loved him; he showed it all the time. But he'd never actually said the words out loud, which had always bothered Vincent. He knew he'd been right earlier when he said that Cloud was afraid of showing weakness. He'd always been able to pick that trait out in the blond, even when they'd first met.

Cloud had opened Vincent's coffin in the basement of the Shinra Mansion, and right away Vincent noticed the misery behind the eyes that matched the ocean he was now looking at. Throughout the entire journey to find Sephiroth, Cloud was stoic, unemotional, even after Aeris was killed. He'd cried for her though. He'd shown emotion for her. He'd _loved_ her. Vincent saw all this in a single flash of those blue eyes as the blond sat there holding his dead friend, and then it was gone.

Afterwards, the only emotion Vincent had seen in Cloud was anger. For a while, the gunner thought the anger was all that was left, but he would occasionally sit far away from the swordsman and just watch him. Behind the anger and the determination, there was pain, there was sadness; there was a person. Vincent supposed that the moment he'd realized that fact was the moment he'd fallen in love with Cloud.

Cloud had worked so hard to keep up his mask. A leader couldn't show weakness. Vincent knew that was the ex-SOLDIER's mindset. It had been drilled into him his entire life. Vincent knew the feeling well from his own days working for Shin-Ra. Whether you were a SOLDIER or a Turk, weakness was frowned upon, and no one could let go of the idea that the weak were the ones who died in battle. Vincent understood that. He had then, and he did now. But it was frustrating to know that Cloud didn't think himself strong enough to admit his feelings out loud. It was even more frustrating that Cloud considered love a weakness in the first place.

Vincent shook his head slightly. Cloud was a walking contradiction. He always had been. Perhaps that was another reason Vincent had fallen in love with him. He was a puzzle.

Cloud sighed and nuzzled his face into the back of Vincent's shoulder. "Vince?"

Vincent's gaze didn't waver. "Hmm?"

Cloud sat up and looked at the gunner, knitting his brows. Vincent turned to look at him. "What?"

Cloud looked to the floor and back to his lover. "Can I ask you something?"

Vincent straightened and turned completely, resting one leg on the bed. "You don't need to ask permission to talk to me, Cloud."

The blond pushed himself further onto the bed and sat cross-legged. "In… the swamp, what exactly were you aiming at, if not at me?"

Vincent visibly winced and looked down. "I… don't know," he lied.

Cloud frowned. "Vince…" he said gently, reaching out for the gunner's hand.

Vincent pulled his hand away quickly. "You wouldn't understand."

Cloud's eyes filled with hurt, and Vincent was immediately sorry for it, but he didn't say so. "Why wouldn't I understand? You can't expect me to just accept that and forget about it."

Vincent quickly stood and headed for the door. "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."

Cloud turned around on the bed. "Where are you going?" he asked as Vincent went out into the kitchen.

"For a walk." And then he was gone, leaving Cloud sitting on the bed, hurt and confused.

Vincent closed his eyes as he shut Cloud's door behind him. Cloud would think he was crazy if he said he'd been aiming at Hojo and Lucrecia. He was starting to think himself crazy. He huffed out a breath before walking down the five flights of stairs. He made his way out of the building and down Main Street, to the elevator that led to the lower level. The elevator was rather dark inside because one of the lights had burnt out, but Vincent welcomed the darkness. He always thought better in the dark.

The large door of the elevator opened with a bang, and Vincent stepped out into the lower half of Junon. The houses had been torn down, and plants grew in their place. Since the revamping of the city, the lower half of Junon really had become a sort of natural resort, and Vincent often went there to just walk and think. He stepped out of the metal elevator, the only manmade item left in the area.

The small hill that led to the beach was easy to navigate as he made his way down to the water to his favorite spot. He walked purposefully, his golden boots crunching softly in the sand. In the distance, he saw the large rock he liked to sit on and quickened his pace. When he reached it, he hopped up on top of it nimbly and sat cross-legged, resting his elbows on his knees, and his chin in his hands, staring out at the ocean.

"You always did like the ocean."

Vincent didn't expect to hear her voice, but somehow he wasn't surprised. "It's calming."

Lucrecia appeared next to him, standing at the foot of the rock. She looked up at him with golden brown eyes. "Mind if I join you?"

Vincent shrugged and didn't take his eyes off the water as she climbed up the rock and settled herself next to him. "Why are you here?"

She inhaled deeply, letting out the breath as she spoke. "I missed you."

"You're not real."

She seemed insulted. "Of course I'm real! You can see me can't you?"

Vincent narrowed his eyes at the horizon. "I see a lot of things."

"Vincent," she said softly. He didn't look at her. "Vincent, I am here." She reached out and touched his face… and he felt it. He turned to look at her with questioning crimson eyes.

"But, how?"

She smiled sweetly. "Because you wanted me here."

Vincent scoffed. "I haven't thought about you in years."

Her expression dropped and changed to anger. "That's real nice, Vincent. What happened to you? What happened to the Vincent I loved?"

He looked back to the water. "You never loved me. You loved your work. You loved your experiments. Your only love was science. I was just a means of keeping that science available."

She feigned outrage. "I can't believe you'd say that!" She took him by the chin and forced him to look at her, those brown eyes he used to love growing cold. "It's because of him, isn't it?"

He jerked his head away and rested it back in his hands. "Who?" he asked, playing dumb.

"That son of a bitch failed experiment; the wannabe SOLDIER."

Vincent turned malicious scarlet eyes on her. "Don't you dare speak of him. Especially like that." His tone was dark, but it didn't seem to faze her.

They stayed silent for a few minutes, before Lucrecia spoke. "I did love you Vincent. I do now."

His stomach gave a nervous jolt when he caught the sincerity in her voice. "Y—you did?" Suddenly he felt that familiar longing for her. He wanted to stare into her eyes and run his fingers through her long auburn hair… _No! What am I thinking?_

He couldn't shake the feeling though, and she only made it worse by inching closer to him. He didn't want her. He had to keep telling himself that. He wanted Cloud… but did Cloud want him? How could he? After all that Vincent had done?

His thought process completely shut down when he felt fingers running through his hair. He turned to look at Lucrecia, smiling sweetly, and sitting very, very close. He wanted to look away, he wanted to jump off the rock and run as fast as he could, but he felt glued by her gaze and by the hand resting lightly on top of his knee. His breath was shaky and he trembled slightly.

She leaned close to his face. "So you do still want me," she whispered. He didn't have time to answer, didn't have time to protest, as she closed the gap between them and kissed him like he'd longed for her to do for most of his adult life. Her lips were so soft and warm. He felt like he was having some kind of out of body experience, like he was watching himself kiss her from somewhere else. It wasn't until he felt her tongue on his lip that he came crashing back to reality and pulled away quickly. There was something wrong with this. Something terribly wrong.

"What's the matter, Vincent?" She didn't sound concerned, didn't sound at all upset that he'd just rejected her, even if it was miniscule. She sounded… entertained. Her golden eyes shined with humor, her lips curled ever so slightly. She was laughing at him.

"You're not her. You're not Lucrecia."

She sighed like she was bored. "Believe it or not, Vincent, I am."

He jumped off the rock, trying not to make it seem like he was running away, even though he was. "No, you're not. Lucrecia is dead," he said darkly, and immediately started walking back to the city, leaving her on the rock staring at his back. If he had bothered to look back, he would have seen her grin.

"That's right, Vincent. Lucrecia is dead," she said quietly when he was out of earshot. She jumped down off the rock as well. "Now, go back to your little lover boy and see what he's been up to while you were gone…" The last she saw of him was his crimson cape flapping once in the wind before he disappeared behind the giant metal doors of the elevator. She suppressed a giggle. "Where will you put your sanity when you can't keep it anymore? I suppose only time will tell." And with that, she disappeared, seeming to float away with the ocean breeze.

* * *

**A/N:** Ah… another chapter finished. The next one is going to pick up exactly where this one left off, and it's gonna be good! Haha, writing it is making me way too excited. Again, sorry I took so long. But I'm not going to make any promises about having the next chapter up soon. I know what's going to happen, I'm just not sure how long it will take. Plus, finals are coming up soon. Eh… gross. Oh well. On with the reviews! (Hint: that's your cue to hit that little button and type something! ^_^)


	12. Heads I win, Tales you lose

**A/N:** I had sooooo much fun writing this. I think my mind is seriously twisted sometimes… Anyway, I'd like to really randomly dedicate this chapter to _Bam's Valentine_666_ for writing a review on the last chapter that made me happy. Normally, I'd express my gratitude by using the "reply to review" feature, but Bam left an anonymous review, and it made me sad that I couldn't reply right away. So to make up for it, I decided to dedicate the chapter. ^_^ Hope it's worth it!

* * *

**Chapter 11 – Heads, I win. Tales, you lose.**

A rare gust of wind hit Vincent hard as soon as he stepped out of the elevator, pulling his cloak taut against his throat. It made him feel constricted, and the thoughts running through his head at unimaginable speeds were already leaving him breathless, making him cough and subconsciously pull at his collar. He stepped out of the elevator and waited for the breeze to pass. When it did, he ducked into the shadows of the alleyways, deciding that he didn't want to deal with the sunny street and the stares from the people that came with it.

He reveled in the dark and slightly damp atmosphere of the alley. He was very familiar with the back streets and winding passages that separated the buildings of Junon. They were his preferred roads of travel, for personal and practical reasons, the latter being that his extremely fair skin did not agree with the sun. He tried to concentrate on moving quickly through the alley back to Cloud's building, instead of thinking about the lingering feeling of Lucrecia's lips on his mouth, or the strange feeling growing in the pit of his stomach. He just wanted to get back to Cloud's apartment, give him a kiss, and forget about everything as they fell into a world all their own. But he knew somehow that this was not what was going to happen. He couldn't explain it. He'd had these premonition-type feelings before, and they never brought anything good.

He entered the driveway from behind the neighboring building and walked along side of it, prolonging the comfort of staying in its shadow for as long as possible before he had to step into the light. He made a dash for the front door and let himself in quickly, scolding himself for being so childish. It was almost as if he were playing a game where one couldn't touch the sunlight, and the first one to do so lost. He sighed and started up the stairs.

He quietly entered the apartment, shutting the door softly behind him. Everything was completely silent. He took off his cape, finally submitting to the claustrophobic feeling it was giving him, and draped it over the back of a chair, removing his boots in the process. He suddenly felt an overwhelming desire to just be loose and comfortable in his clothes. He untucked his shirt and released the top button of it, giving him a casual appearance that was rarely seen on him. The last thing to go was his headband, freeing his ebony hair, which he ran his human hand through to push it out of his eyes.

"Cloud?" he called, but his only answer was silence.

He shrugged and looked around Cloud's kitchen. For some reason, it seemed different than when he had left it not thirty minutes before. The air was different somehow. It seemed thin, almost as if it didn't care about the people who needed it to live. He took a deep breath, mostly because he was thinking about breathing, and not because he actually needed air. He moved to the counter, picking up his water bottle from earlier and taking a sip. The now lukewarm water passed smoothly over his lips and through his mouth, cooling him despite the fact that it wasn't as cold as it was before. He lifted the bottle to look at it, studying the clear liquid as it sloshed around inside the plastic. He wished for a moment that everything could be as simple as "H2O".

But things aren't as simple as a chemical equation. He subconsciously touched his own lips, remembering the feel of another pair of lips sliding over them in a way he had craved for, for too long. She was perfection in his eyes, once. She was the one thing in the world he could not have, despite how much they both wanted each other. He sighed again and licked his lips, realizing too late that he was trying to taste her. He mentally smacked himself for even thinking it.

He jumped as the sound of breaking glass pierced through the air. For some reason, he thought he was alone in the apartment, but apparently not. He rested a hand on the Death Penalty; glad he hadn't removed the holster from his person. He didn't know where Cloud was, and he didn't like how his earlier feeling of dread doubled itself and made his stomach give a nervous jolt. He set the bottle down on the counter and started slowly toward where the sound had come from: Cloud's bedroom.

He approached the closed door, his suspicion obvious in his posture. As he pushed the door open silently, he slowly pulled Death Penalty out of its holster, readying it in case it was needed. His heartbeat quickened as his breathing became shallow, not of his own accord, but because he somehow just _knew_ that he was not going to like what he was about to see.

He entered the bedroom, the late morning sun illuminating the room, but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. The bed had even been made. Wait. That wasn't ordinary. Cloud never made his bed.

Dark eyebrows furrowed as he walked further into the room. He touched the bed with his clawed hand, wondering why it was made so nicely. His sharp hearing suddenly picked up a nearly undetectable sound coming from Cloud's bathroom. He whipped around, a few strands of black hair catching on his face. The door was closed, and a small amount of extra light was showing through the crack under the door.

He approached it slowly; suddenly very glad he had removed his boots as he softly padded across the rug. He ignored the feeling of déjà vu that overcame him, dismissing it because there were more pressing things he needed to be concentrating on. As he got closer, he noted that very faint sounds of movement could be heard from behind the tightly shut door. He walked right up to it and reached out to open it, gun at the ready, when something stopped him.

Sometimes, he cursed his enhanced senses, but other times, he was glad for them. He wasn't sure how he felt about them at that moment as the very distinct, metallic scent of blood filled his nose. Blood, and something he didn't want to think about, but couldn't help but notice. Few things had such unique and distinct smells, blood being one of them… and sex being the other.

His metallic arm reached out for the doorknob, attempting to turn it only to find that it was locked. Desperation was taking over as he tried using his shoulder to push the door in. Why was this situation so familiar?

After a few more attempts with his shoulder he gave up and resorted to something different. Not even the strongest steal lock could withstand a shot from the Death Penalty, so he had no problem blowing the doorknob clear off the door, which flung open from the blast.

He rushed in, not thinking clearly, not realizing that he might be in danger if he did so. All he could think about was Cloud's safety. But as soon as he entered the bathroom, a loud crash sounded as the Death Penalty dropped to the floor, leaving its master staring, dumbstruck, trying to take in the sight before him.

Cloud was bent over the sink, blood dripping from his balled fists, most likely having resulted from punching the glass mirror of the medicine cabinet. His head rested on one of his arms as he tried not to scream, the strain of that action showing in his features. Vincent almost couldn't believe what he was seeing; didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to believe that he was standing there, watching Cloud being taken by none other than the General himself, Sephiroth.

Vincent stared helplessly, feeling his legs threatening to give out as Sephiroth slowly turned his head to the side and gave the gunman a lazy smirk. Cloud's cries came louder, hurting Vincent's ears, but he couldn't look away. Sephiroth chuckled as he continued his movements, driving into the blond as hard as he could, without mercy, causing those coveted sounds that were meant only for Vincent to pour from the young swordsman's mouth.

"No…" was all the gunner could manage before he finally did collapse, falling to his knees in a pile of glass shards from the broken mirror. He wanted to wake up. He wanted this to just be another dream… yes, that was where he'd been in this situation before. The nightmare. Couldn't this be like that? Couldn't he just wake up right now, in Cloud's bed, naked and cold because his covers had been stolen after a night of blissful lovemaking and sleepy chatter about that silly rabbit thing? He kept wishing that would happen. But all he could do was stare fixedly on the scene before him. All he could do was watch in disbelief.

Sephiroth's smirk grew as he watched the gunman's inner turmoil being processed. Just to see if he could push Vincent over the edge, he slowly moved one of his hands from Cloud's hip, sliding it around the blond's waist to ghost his fingers over the younger man's obviously throbbing arousal, utterly fascinated by the way the practically lucid, crimson eyes followed the motion. Cloud gave one extremely loud scream, the General's name slurring out of his mouth as he climaxed almost violently, and bucked his hips back into the silver-haired man. Sephiroth grunted loudly, jade cat eyes never leaving the devastated gunman on the floor, and released himself inside the body of the blond man in front of him.

Cloud straightened, his every movement displaying his fatigue as he leaned backwards into the General's chest, wrapping the older man's arms around himself and closing his eyes as he rested his head on the taller man's chest. Sephiroth used Cloud to block his nudity from Vincent's view and rested his cheek on the top of Cloud's head. Vincent still could only stare with extremely hurt and confused red eyes, and the General chuckled, raising one hand to stroke Cloud's fluffy chocobo hair.

"He's beautiful, isn't he?" the deep voice asked, waking Vincent from his stupor.

The raven-haired man sucked in a breath, catching a sob before it had the chance to escape him.

"I missed hearing his cries of rapture…" The icy voice continued to flow from the General's mouth, purposely trying to grate on Vincent's already fragile state of mind.

Watery crimson eyes turned and met dancing, humorous jade. "…Why?" It was barely a whisper, more of a plea than a question.

It was obvious to Sephiroth that Vincent meant why in general, not just in reference to his last statement. He hesitated a moment, partly to think about his response, and partly to make a discreet attempt at pushing the gunner's sanity just a little harder.

He didn't need to respond though, because Cloud inhaled deeply and turned his head toward the silver-haired man. "Seph… who are you talking to?"

Vincent's gaze whipped back to Cloud. He didn't even see him? Couldn't hear him?

The General looked as though he was trying not to laugh. As he spoke, his eyes never left the crumpled gunner on the floor. "I'm talking to Vincent Valentine, love."

"Oh…" Cloud didn't seem to care. He placed soft kisses on the General's neck, and whimpered slightly when Sephiroth wouldn't let him turn around to do more.

Vincent watched in disbelief, the liquid in his eyes blurring his vision. He blinked, trying to hold the tears back, and desperately trying to sort out his thoughts. The fact that he just couldn't comprehend what was happening in front of him was making him dizzy, and all he could see was silver hair, the blood on Cloud's arms that seemed to have been forgotten, and those frightening cat eyes that hadn't looked away from him since he entered the room. It was too much. The room seemed to be caving in around him, every inch of it laughing at him because he had no idea what was going on. He felt himself slipping away, and he welcomed the unconsciousness because it was the only thing that could save him from the scene before him, from those eyes that found too much pleasure in his pain. He welcomed the unconsciousness… because he didn't want to see his lover, his _love_, cheating on him with a dead man.

* * *

"Vincent? Vince?"

There was nothing but darkness.

"Vincent, please wake up…"

Blackness everywhere.

"Vince… please…"

And a voice. His voice. Cloud's voice.

"Vincent…" He was concerned.

Slowly, the pale face stirred, brows creasing in pain for a moment as a soft groan passed over equally pale lips.

"Vince?" Cloud's voice perked up.

"Wh—what?" There was still blackness, but the gunner realized that it was because he hadn't opened his eyes. He wanted the darkness to go away, but he didn't want to look at Cloud. He didn't want to face what he knew had happened.

"Vincent… I'm so happy you're awake." Arms encircled him tightly. He didn't move.

"My—my head hurts…" he stated softly, still not opening his eyes. The arms went away, and a warm hand caressed his cheek, making him flinch.

Cloud frowned. There was something wrong here. Vincent had never avoided his touch. "You passed out, hit your head on the floor. Can you open your eyes? You're kind of freaking me out."

The gunner lowered his eyebrows and sighed, feeling twinges of anger poking at him. Slowly, he opened his eyes, slightly grateful that the lights were off and it was dark outside. The last thing he wanted was for his vision to be bombarded with light. He looked at Cloud, the swordsman's face slightly illuminated by the full moon outside. His face was soft, blue eyes gazing at him lovingly. How could there be any love in those eyes?

"Don't look at me like that."

Cloud's expression dropped immediately and turned to slightly hurt confusion. "Like what?" he asked, genuinely wanting to know. There was definitely something wrong here.

"Like you love me."

Cloud's mouth fell open a little bit, showing his shock at Vincent's response.

Vincent raised his human hand to his face and rubbed his eyes. He growled frustratedly and slowly pulled himself to a sitting position, finally realizing that he was on Cloud's bed. He leaned against the headboard. "I understand now, why you could never say it."

Cloud shifted uncomfortably, absentmindedly trying to avoid the intense stare he was receiving from his lover. When he had no choice but to look at Vincent, he winced as those burgundy eyes shot daggers at him. "Vincent, _what_ are you talking about?"

"Don't play stupid, Cloud. It doesn't suit you."

Cloud threw his hands up. "Well, I wouldn't have to play stupid if you'd just tell me what you mean."

Vincent cocked an eyebrow at him.

The swordsman sighed and hung his head. "That's not what I meant."

The gunner stayed silent, crossing his arms over his chest and looking away from Cloud.

The blond growled. "Damnit, Vincent, why do you have to be so fucking cryptic all the time? Can't you just once say something outright?"

Vincent sighed, frustrated. "You can't say you love me because you don't."

Cloud's posture dropped. "_What?_"

Vincent looked back at him. "You can't say 'I love you' because you don't love me."

"Bullshit," Cloud spat. "That's a load of bullshit."

"Then why won't you say it?"

Cloud fidgeted nervously. "Because…"

"Because you love him." Vincent turned away again, mostly to hide the tears that were forming in his eyes.

The swordsman exhaled sharply. "No, because I—huh?" He shook his head in bewilderment. "'Him'… him who?"

"Hmph," was all Vincent said.

Cloud moved closer to the gunman. "What are you talking about?"

Crimson eyes stayed locked on the view of the beach out the window. Everything was a deep blue, a wash of color from the combination of the moonlight and the night sky. His voice was completely level when he spoke. "How did you hurt your hands, Cloud?"

"Wha…?" Cloud looked at the sliced flesh on the backs of his hands. "I… accidentally hit the bathroom mirror. I was just being clumsy. What does that have to do with anything?"

"Hmph." It came as more of a chuckle now, but it was obvious that the gunner was far from amused. It was scaring Cloud.

He reached for Vincent's hand, frowning deeper when the older man yanked it away. "Vincent, I don't understand."

Vincent laughed out loud. "Oh that's grand, Cloud. _You_ don't understand. _You_ don't understand that I would have died for you, nearly did, and now I come to find that you're cheating on me?"

Now Cloud's jaw did drop. "_WHAT?_ What are you _talking_ about?" This made no sense. Vincent had hit his head. It was messing with his mind.

Angry red eyes turned on him, making him want to cower and crawl into the corner. He'd never seen them look so angry. "I'm not an idiot, Cloud, and I'm not blind. Though I should be after what I saw."

"What you saw… what the hell is going on here?" The blond posed the question rhetorically, asking the darkness of the room for an answer.

"_Stop_ pretending that you don't know. Save your stupid little innocent uke act for Sephiroth."

Cloud stared at Vincent, completely dumbfounded and very much insulted. "Sephiroth… Vincent, Sephiroth has been dead for four years!"

The gunner wasn't listening. He was getting up, gathering his things: cloak, headband, boots, gun.

Cloud stood as well. "Vincent! Talk to me! Tell me what is bothering you!"

The raven-haired man spoke darkly as he clasped his cloak around his throat. "_You_ are bothering me, Cloud." He turned around to face the blond. "You could have said something. If you cared at all, you would have told me the truth instead of sneaking around. I never thought you'd sink so low."

He turned slowly and started for the door. Cloud grabbed the end of his cloak, stopping him in his tracks. "Wait, Vincent. What are you talking about?" He was getting sick of asking that.

Vincent again turned to him, his eyes a dark shade of red that Cloud had never seen before, and it made him shrink back, terrified. "What was I to you? A bit of fun? A mindless _fuck_?"

Cloud was on the verge of tears. He'd never been so scared of another human being… he'd never heard Vincent curse before, either. "…Vince…"

Vincent spun around, walking out into the kitchen. "Pet names are for lovers, Cloud. Don't call me that anymore."

The blond's heart twisted as that last demand sunk in. They weren't lovers anymore. That's what Vincent was saying. Feeling desperately confused, he followed after Vincent, catching him as he was about to open the door. "Wait Vincent, please don't leave." He reached out, placed his hand on the gunner's shoulder, but Vincent swung back at him with his metal arm, giving him a violent push and making him fall back. He landed on the tile floor with a huff, the wind knocked out of him. "Vincent," he gasped. The tears flowed freely from his oceanic eyes as he stared pleadingly at the gunman's back. "Where are you going?"

Vincent wrenched open the door, feeling his heart wrench with it. "Away," was all he said before he slammed the door behind him.

Cloud gasped for air between sobs. He sat on the floor of his own kitchen, staring at the door as he listened to the metal footsteps get quieter; the only signal that Vincent was really gone.

He curled his legs to his chest. Clenching his eyes shut, he rested his forehead between his knees. "Come back…" he whispered. "I love you…"

* * *

**A/N:** Too short. I'm sorry. But I had to stop there, lest I go into way more stuff than I wanted to this chapter. Besides, I _love_ cliffhangers. *grin* Hey, look on the bright side. I could have stopped right after Vincent passed out. But I'm not that mean… okay yes I am, but not in this chapter.

So again, sorry I took so long. You know what? I'm going to apologize, right here, right now, for every time I take a long time in the future. Okay? I'm sorry ahead of time. There. Now I won't have to do it later.

Now, anyone have anything to say? That's what the review button is for! ~_^ Don't be afraid, it's not going to bite. Though I might…

Vincent: *rubs shoulder* Tell me about it…

Omni: *grin* Hey, he looked yummy. *shrug*

Yeah, moving on. Review! It makes me a happy author.^_^


	13. Behind Closed Doors

**A/N:** Well! I don't think I've updated this fast in a long time. Let's just say I had some encouragement from _Lady Storm._ ^_^ This one came out pretty long! 11 pages, to be exact, size 10, single-spaced in Word. Usually my chapters end up around 8 pages. Yeah, I'm just that crazy. I didn't have as much fun writing it as I had writing other chapters, but I still like it. And I got to put something special in here. It's almost a direct quote from a _very_ special movie. Anyone who can identify the quote gets a cookie. (*cough cough* Troi *cough*)

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**Chapter 12 – Behind Closed Doors**

Darkness surrounded him, thick and unforgiving. Except, he wasn't sure what he'd done that warranted the need to be forgiven. He didn't want to move, he didn't want to blink, he didn't want to give in to the sleep that was tugging at his eyelids. If he closed his eyes, if he moved his gaze from the door for one second, he might miss his lover's return.

Fatigue caught up with him though. He wasn't sure how long he'd been sitting on the kitchen floor. His tears had long since given up, leaving his cheeks feeling clammy and salty. His body ached, his hands hurt. In his nervous and frustrated state of mind, he'd unwittingly picked at the cuts on his knuckles, causing them to start bleeding again. They stung in the dry air, but he didn't care. He somehow felt he deserved it. The way Vincent had looked at him and talked to him made him feel like he deserved far worse than some small cuts on his hands.

Eventually, he couldn't take the aching in his body any longer, and he crawled to the wall next to the table. He could still see the door, but he could lean against the wall for support. Mako blue eyes stayed glued to the door, waiting for a hint that someone was on the other side. Someone tall, dark, and handsome. Someone with loving, crimson eyes and silky, black hair. Someone he was desperately afraid he was going to lose forever.

Hours passed in what felt like decades. There was a clock over the window by the sink, but he didn't dare look away from that door. He didn't care what time it was anyway. He didn't care if he had to sit and watch that door for the rest of his life. He wouldn't back down. It wasn't until the room was suddenly washed in a fiery orange glow that he knew dawn had broken. He'd been sitting on the kitchen floor all night.

And Vincent still had not returned.

His heart hurt. It physically hurt. He wanted to scream and sigh at the same time. He wanted to cry, but he felt it useless. His tears weren't going to bring the gunner back. If he waited long enough, maybe Vincent would realize that there had been a mistake. Maybe that door would open, and Vincent would come in, scoop him up into his strong arms, kiss him hard on the mouth and tell him he loved him, tell him that they would never be apart again.

As Cloud sat there on the cold kitchen tiles, he thought it almost possible.

It was quiet. The silence was thick on his ears, contradicting the thinness of the air in the kitchen. There weren't even birds chirping outside. It seemed that everyone knew something he didn't. Everyone else in the world knew what he had done, and even the birds weren't willing to tell him. He silently ran his fingers over the cuts on his knuckles. Stupid mirror. But… wait. When did he hit the mirror?

Cloud raised his head a little and blinked. He knew he'd hit the mirror. But why? When? Some time last night. He looked at the wounds, asking them with his eyes why they were there. They were pink and irritated from his nervous picking, and they offered no answers. Cloud tried desperately to remember exactly what had happened. They were talking. He and Vincent were talking in his room. He furrowed his brows. All he had wanted to know was what Vincent meant when he said he wasn't aiming for him in the swamp. Was that what started this whole thing? Something was very wrong here.

Vincent had just walked out as soon as Cloud had mentioned the swamp. What happened in that swamp that could have this much impact? He felt even more in the dark than he had before. It still wasn't clear why Vincent had shot him. It wasn't clear why the incident at the swamp seemed to have some underlying meaning to the gunner. And it wasn't clear at all why Vincent had accused him of cheating on him… with Sephiroth of all people. That was a petty accusation anyway. Things like that only happened in soap operas and dramatic movies.

But more importantly, what had happened after Vincent had returned from his walk? And why couldn't Cloud remember? He remembered being confused, remembered being angry. There was something else in his memory though that he couldn't quite grasp. He wasn't sure what it was. He didn't remember punching the mirror, and yet he did remember it. He remembered a feeling so strong that it just caused his hands to fly toward that mirror. He remembered not caring that his hands were dripping blood, not caring that he'd just broken his own mirror, only caring about that feeling that left him breathless and out of control of himself. He just didn't know what it was, and he didn't know if it was a good or bad feeling. All he knew was that that feeling had been overwhelming.

This didn't make any sense. Why couldn't he remember what had to have only been a couple of hours? His last clear memory was watching the front door close behind Vincent, and then he was in his bathroom with bloody fists, a broken mirror, and an even more broken gunman passed out on the floor.

Why hadn't he thought anything of it? Why did it seem normal that he didn't know how he got into the bathroom, didn't know why the mirror was broken, didn't know why Vincent had fainted… didn't know where his clothes were? That's right. His clothes were missing.

He was picking up puzzle pieces, but he had no idea where to put them all.

He clenched his eyes shut and rubbed them furiously. _Why_ couldn't he remember? _Why_ did Vincent leave? _Why_ did he mention _Sephiroth_?

"_Why_?" he yelled at the empty room. The tears had decided to resurface, and were now threatening to spill down his already tear-stained cheeks. He didn't try to stop them. He wouldn't have been able to anyway, nor was he able to stop the thousands of thoughts that collided with his mind at that moment. Nothing fit. Nothing made sense. He felt stupid, ignorant, and utterly alone.

His thoughts were so loud in his head that he almost didn't hear the faint sound of footsteps outside his door. When he noticed them though, everything in his mind instantly fell silent as he whipped his gaze back to the door, feeling a nervous excitement developing in the pit of his stomach. Vincent had returned! He was too overjoyed to think of anything else; even moving seemed an unachievable task. He could only just sit huddled on the floor, eyes wide and hopeful, and stare at the door as the footsteps came closer.

The doorknob turned, slowly, as if he were in a movie, building suspense. His breath caught in his throat and stayed there as the door slowly swung open. When the figure behind it was revealed, however, everything seemed to crash around him, and he plunged back into the dark void of depression.

Tifa stood in Cloud's doorway, surprised to see him as soon as she had opened the door, but more surprised that he was just sitting there, curled up on the floor. The tension in the air unnerved her and worried her, because it was radiating from the swordsman so thickly that she could literally _feel_ his mood drop.

She watched him for a second, taking in how completely broken he looked. "Cloud… are you all right?" she asked, wondering why he wasn't happy to see her.

All he did was sigh and rest his forehead on his knees. He didn't want to see Tifa. Tifa wasn't Vincent.

The brunette's face softened as she looked at her dearest friend. She stepped into the apartment and closed the door behind her. Approaching him slowly, she knelt in front of him and leaned in closely. "Cloud, did something happen?"

He considered just pushing her away, yelling in her face to leave him alone. But he was just too exhausted and upset to care. He didn't protest when she moved to sit next to him, and he kept stone still as she hugged him. He didn't want to admit it to himself, but it felt nice to have warm arms wrapped around him. After a moment of careful contemplation, he gave in and leaned into her, wrapping his own arms tightly around her waist, feeling his grip on his composure slipping.

"Cloud," she spoke softly, stuck between being overjoyed that he was being so affectionate toward her, and being worried that something was wrong. "Cloud, what's the matter?"

The swordsman hesitated for a moment, before pulling away from her and leaning against the wall again. But he didn't say anything; just stared at the floor.

"Cloud," she said, a little more sternly. His blank expression was beginning to scare her.

"He's… gone," was all that came out of him. Tifa watched, sympathy tugging at her heart, as his crystal blue eyes grew watery. He still just stared at the tiles on the floor, not moving, not even blinking.

"Who's gone?" she asked, gently urging him to continue.

He sniffled and buried his face in his knees again. "He'll come back, won't he?"

"Who, Cloud?" She placed a hand on his shoulder, wishing he would hug her again. She liked the feeling of his arms around her.

"He has to come back…" he mumbled into his knees. He seemed to be talking to no one.

"Cloud, stop it. You're scaring me."

"What did he say? Why did he say anything about him?"

Tifa felt a tiny bit of panic running through her. He sounded far away, like his mind was in a completely different place. "Cloud, what are you talking about?"

"He said I didn't love him." He looked up at her suddenly. "Why would he say that?"

She looked into his eyes. They were pleading, confused, a few puddles of bluish pain sloshed around inside. It made her want to kiss him. He just looked so hurt and innocent. Far from the strong warrior she knew him to be. She cupped his face, using her thumb to wipe away a lone tear that slid down his cheek. Tilting her head to the side, she tentatively moved closer to him. He didn't move as she approached, nor did he really protest when she placed a chaste kiss on his lips, knowing that she was just trying to make him feel better. When she pulled away, he kept his eyes on the floor.

"Tifa…" he whispered.

"I know, Cloud. I'm sorry. It's just… it hurts me to see you suffer like this, and that I can't help you. I…" She trailed off, and he turned away from her, back to his knees.

"No, I know. It's okay. I'm just…" She inclined her head, waiting for him to continue. Slowly, he raised his head and looked at the orange light coming from the small window over the sink. She saw a tear fall, and it scared her to no end. "Tifa, I'm so scared he'll never come back." His voice cracked and his chin quivered. She didn't know what to think. She'd only seen Cloud completely break down once, and it had scared her then too. The idea was too contradictory to his normal behavior, and she couldn't quite explain how much it scared her to see her rock, her stability, her _love_, so helpless.

"Cloud," she started. She had no idea what she really wanted to say. She was sure by now that something had happened between Cloud and Vincent, and from the looks of things, Vincent was gone. This worried her slightly as well. She did care for Vincent also. He was her friend too.

After a few minutes of sitting in silence, and of Tifa waiting for Cloud to do something and realizing that he wasn't going to move, she stood and gently touched his shoulder. "Cloud, you shouldn't sit on the floor."

"I can't go anywhere else."

"Cloud, you have to get up."

"No," he said, tucking his head back down on his knees.

She softly tugged on his arm, attempting to motivate him to get up. He jerked his arm away from her. "Cloud, come on. Have you been here all night?"

He didn't say anything, and she took that as a 'yes'.

"Come on, Cloud," she said, trying to pull him up.

He pulled away from her swiftly, and looked at her with desperate blue eyes. "I have to watch for him!"

"Cloud—"

"Leave me _alone_, Tifa!" He swiped his arm through the air, batting her hand away a little more violently than he had intended. She pulled her arm back quickly, holding it with her other hand. She looked at him with scared, brown eyes. He'd never struck at her before. When she met his gaze, a shiver ran down her spine. The mako in his eyes was glowing fiercely, giving him a frantic look; making him seem almost _insane_. She shrank back in fear.

"Cloud…" she started, making an attempt to reason with him. "You have to get up."

"No Tifa! He—he yelled at me! He said I wouldn't understand, said I didn't love him… said—said I was bothering him!" His entire demeanor suddenly seemed to break in half as he collapsed into himself. "He said we weren't lovers anymore. I don't know where these cuts came from, I couldn't find my clothes, I didn't know why he was on the floor, and I don't know when I broke the mirror. He wouldn't tell me who he was aiming at! It hurt _so_ much, Tifa. It hurt so much. It hurts now. I don't know anything. Not why he left, not why he said the things he did, not why he shot me. Tifa… I don't know anything."

Tifa felt tears welling up in her eyes as she watched his expression shatter into silent sobs. She didn't understand anything of his outburst, except for one thing that had caught her attention. "Cloud, Vincent shot you?"

Cloud didn't say anything, only nodded his head in acknowledgement as he pushed the collar of his shirt to the side, revealing the scar from the bullet. She let out a small gasp and covered her mouth with her fingertips as she stared at the calloused flesh. Moving slowly closer to him, she knelt in front of him again and reached out to touch the scar. He kept his eyes on her as his sobs subsided, sniffling as she settled down in front of him.

"He didn't mean it," he said defensively. "He said he wasn't aiming at me." That seemed to relax her a little bit. He let go of his shirt, covering the wound back up again. "But Tifa." She looked at him and he wiped his eyes. "There was no one else there. The Zolems were already dead. There was no one else there…"

Tifa didn't quite understand, but that didn't change the fact that what she was hearing angered her. Vincent said he'd take care of Cloud. Vincent said he'd be good to him. She didn't think shooting him was quite living up to that promise.

Cloud sniffled and rested his head back against the wall, blue eyes unfocused as he stared at nothing. "I just want him to come back."

The brunette took his hand and squeezed it gently. She didn't understand what was going on, but she got the feeling that Cloud knew even less than she did, and that bothered her. She couldn't dwell on it now though. The man had been sitting on the floor all night. He needed to get up, and go to bed. Sighing determinedly, she stood, not letting his hand go. "Come on, Cloud. You need to get up and go to sleep. You can't sit on the kitchen floor forever."

He remained still. "Watch me."

She propped her free hand on her hip. "No, Cloud. Get up. Now."

He ignored her words and the pulling on his arm. He couldn't leave that door.

Tifa huffed out a breath and glared at him with auburn eyes. "Cloud Strife. Get up. You're acting like a three-year-old."

"He might come back. I have to be here when he gets back."

Tifa pinched the bridge of her nose. She felt like she was a teenager again, dealing with some bratty kid she was babysitting. But this bratty kid just happened to be the love of her life. "Cloud, I _don't_ think he'll be coming back any time _soon_." Oh crap. That was the _wrong_ thing to say. _Nice going, Tifa,_ she scolded herself.

Cloud shut his eyes tightly, trying to shut everything else out too. Tifa noticed this, and crouched back down in front of him. She reached out to touch his face, but as soon as he felt her fingertips on his cheek, he jerked away. "Cloud," she said gently. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean that. He'll come back. Someday he'll come back."

"Someday isn't good enough."

The girl frowned. This wasn't the Cloud she wanted to be talking to. "If I promise to stay and watch for him, will you get up and go to bed?"

He opened his eyes slowly and looked at her, obviously considering the proposition. She raised her eyebrows, silently making the offer again. After a minute or two, he relented, and nodded his head. She breathed a sigh of relief and helped him up. With Cloud leaning on her to favor his tired and aching muscles, they walked into his room. Once inside, he let go of her and made his way over to the bed, pulling his shirt off as he went. Tifa tried not to squirm at the sight of him shirtless, but she couldn't stop the butterflies that fluttered in her stomach. To busy herself, she followed him and tucked him in, giving in to her "mother-hen" instincts.

Once his head hit the pillow, Cloud realized just how exhausted he was, mentally and physically. He was so drained that he felt himself going numb. His body felt numb, his mind felt numb. He closed his tired eyes, and felt as though he was melting into the bed. He heard Tifa trying to leave quietly, and cracked his eyes open again. "Tifa," he said, stopping the brunette in her tracks. She turned around and looked at him. "Promise you'll wake me if he comes back."

Tifa gazed at him sorrowfully as he made his request. She offered a sad smile and nodded before watching his eyes close again. She stood there and waited until his deep breathing gave away his slumber, before silently backing out of the room and closing the door.

* * *

_It was raining. How appropriate. At least the raindrops camouflaged her tears so he wouldn't have to see them. He didn't like seeing her cry. It reminded him that even she had weaknesses. Even his mother had tears to shed._

Not for long,_ he thought as he hugged her. Her grip on him was tight, and he somehow felt all her love seeping into him like his clothes were absorbing the raindrops. He clenched his eyes shut as he gave her one final squeeze before letting her go, feeling as though he was letting everything he knew go with her._

_She looked him with kind, blue eyes that matched his own. "Do you have everything you need?"_

_He forced tears to stay behind his eyes. He had to be strong for her. "Yeah."_

_She shook her head in disbelief. "I can't believe my baby is going to be a SOLDIER."_

"_Mom, please. I'm not in yet," he said with a chuckle and a roll of his eyes. He ran his hand through damp, blond spikes and over the small ponytail on the back of his head._

_She took a step back and looked him over. "Oh Cloud, you're all grown up. What will I do without you around the house?"_

_He stepped closer to her and wrapped his arms around her when she started to cry again. "I'll write to you every day. I'll tell you all about Midgar and my training and everything."_

_She sniffled looked at him. "Well, you better keep that promise." She pinched the tip of his nose. "I'll be waiting to hear from you."_

_He smiled and kissed her cheek. "I love you, Mom."_

"_I love you too, Cloud." He smiled again and picked up his bag before climbing into the train that would take him to Midgar._

* * *

There was a soft squeaking noise that woke him up. He drew in a breath and stretched, letting the air out with a satisfied grunt. The bed dipped next to him and he opened his eyes to find Tifa sitting next to him with a cup of something hot.

"I brought you some tea. I figured it was time for you to wake up."

Leaning up on his elbow, Cloud took the offered mug and sipped from it before turning hopeful blue eyes to the girl next to him. She smiled sadly and shook her head. "He hasn't come back."

Cloud's eyes lowered. "Oh." He took another sip of tea. The steaming liquid felt good going down his throat. "How long was I sleeping?"

Tifa checked the clock behind her. "Oh, since about six…"

He checked the clock. It read 7:36. "I was only asleep for an hour and a half?"

She waited until he was looking at her again before speaking. "Six yesterday morning."

His eyes widened. "I slept over twenty-four hours?"

She nodded and leaned back on her hand. Cloud sipped the tea slowly, focusing on the plush carpet on the floor. They sat in silence for a minute before Tifa broke it. "Are you hungry?"

Cloud opened his mouth to answer, but a grumble came from his stomach instead, and Tifa smiled softly. "I guess so," she said. "I'll go find something to make for you then."

He set the mug on the table next to his bed and sat up. "No it's okay, Tifa. I don't want you to—"

"Don't tell me 'no', Cloud. I want to take care of you."

He frowned for a second before consenting. "I'm just gonna go take a shower then," he mumbled as he got out of bed. He resisted the urge to roll his eyes when he felt her staring at him as he walked to the bathroom. He shut the door behind him when he got there and rested his head against it. He wasn't a baby. He didn't need to be taken care of, and he certainly didn't need the added stress of having a girl in his home who was madly in love with him. Why couldn't he go back to a few days ago?

Sighing loudly, he turned around, but stopped when he saw the broken mirror. He'd cleaned up the glass on the floor, but he couldn't fix the mirror right away. He walked up to it and touched it gently, looking at the cuts on his knuckles as he did so. The bits of glass left on the cupboard door poked at his fingers, but gave away nothing. He sighed again and walked over to the shower to turn it on.

Once under the water, he realized exactly how long it had been since he'd last had the chance to shower. It was right before… He shook his head. He didn't want to think about Vincent, even if it was a good… _really_ good memory… _Stop it,_ he told himself. He released a breath and let the water run over his face. Tears threatened to fall, but he held them back. His tears were useless. They showed his weakness, and he couldn't allow that, even if he was alone. Alone. Yes, he was alone.

His chest felt tight, and he realized it was because he was holding his breath. This wouldn't do. He couldn't just melt into everything and waste away because Vincent was gone. No. There was only one thing he could do.

If Vincent wasn't going to come back, then Cloud would just have to go find him, at least to get some answers.

But where would he go? He could be anywhere. It had been two days. That's enough time to get half way across the planet, if one had the means. And with Vincent's threatening appearance and foreboding presence, not to mention the very large gun he carried around and the deadly aim that came with it, he'd have no trouble talking people into taking him somewhere. This was a problem. Cloud couldn't get around fast enough on just his motorcycle. He needed something that could travel faster, and over all kinds of terrain.

Then it hit him. He now owned an airplane. He couldn't help the smile that overtook his face. _Thank you, Cid!_ With the Bronco he could get around quickly, and still fly close enough to the ground to watch for the telltale signs of that crimson cape. Only one problem though. He still didn't know how to fly it. Well, Cid had offered to teach him. It couldn't take very long, could it? Cloud considered himself a fast learner. His smile grew. This was going to work.

He quickly finished his shower, a renewed sense of excitement filling his thoughts. As he toweled himself dry, he couldn't help but picture his reunion with the dark gunner. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he knew that it wouldn't be as happy as he was allowing himself to picture it being, but the thoughts of running into the older man's arms and burying his face in that silky hair completely pushed away any negative thoughts. He imagined strong arms around him, soft lips on his own, a slow kiss on a hill. Why he was picturing a hill, he wasn't sure, but it made for a very picturesque scene in his head, and it warmed his heart, leaving a wistful smile on his lips as he walked out of the bathroom, towel wrapped loosely around his waist.

Tifa was just walking into the room with a tray full of food. "Cloud, I made—Oh dear, sweet Shiva…" Cloud lunged forward to catch the falling tray of food before it hit the floor. He managed to grab it just before it splattered all over his rug. Tifa took it from him hastily and set it down on the bed, keeping her back to him. "I made bacon and eggs… there's coffee in the kitchen." He walked around her and picked up some eggs, popping them into his mouth. She was blushing furiously and very obviously avoiding looking at him. "Cloud, please put some clothes on."

He looked down at himself. "Oh, right. Sorry."

He grabbed a set of clothes from a drawer and began dressing. Tifa wondered if he was _trying_ to make her go crazy, or if he really was just that oblivious the fact that she had to use every fiber of self-restraint to keep from turning around and pouncing on him. It didn't help matters at all that she knew that he, at the moment, was not wearing any clothes while he was within five feet of her. Still, she stood her ground, facing the wall behind his bed, pretending to look at the pictures arranged on the bedside table. One of Cloud and Vincent… one of everyone from AVALANCHE all together… one of herself and Cloud when they were younger.

She picked up the one of Cloud and Vincent. They were sitting on a park bench, probably somewhere in lower Junon. Cloud was lying on his back on the bench with his head in Vincent's lap. Vincent's arms were spread out over the back of the bench. Both men looked content, happy. But what struck her the most was that both men were _smiling_. Genuine smiles covered both faces as they looked at each other. Tifa wondered how she could have missed everything that was happening between them. Then, she wondered why things weren't still like they were in the photo.

Cloud walked up behind her and glanced over her shoulder as he dried his hair. Gently, he took the picture and gazed at it sadly. Would they ever go back to that? More importantly, _could_ they ever go back to it?

"When was that taken?" Tifa asked quietly.

Cloud's answer was just as quiet. "Last spring. We were just sitting in the reserve in lower Junon and someone walked by and asked us if he could take a picture of us. Some art class or something. He gave us a copy of the picture afterwards."

He looked at it a moment longer before closing his eyes and tossing the picture on the bed. He turned and tossed the towel he'd been using into a basket across the room. Tifa walked up behind him and put her hand on his shoulder. "Everything's going to be fine, Cloud."

His voice was barely a whisper. "How can you know that?"

She couldn't. He was right. But she wasn't about to tell him that. "I just know it. Why don't you just relax and eat your food? Here," she said as she pulled him over to the bed and sat him down. She made him lean back against the headboard and put the tray of food on his lap. "I'll come back in a little while to get your dishes."

He just sat and stared at the food in front of him as she left. He ate a little bit of it before pushing it away and standing up. _What am I doing? I have to go to Cid's._ He made his way across the spacious room and opened up the door. Tifa looked up from washing dishes as he entered the kitchen. "Hey," she called.

"Hi," he mumbled. He walked to the counter and grabbed his keys.

Tifa turned off the water quickly and wiped her hands on her pants. "Where are you going? You can't leave."

Cloud was walking toward the door. "Tifa, this is my apartment. I'll leave when I want to."

She ran to the door and blocked his way. "No, Cloud. You—you could get hurt. You're not thinking straight. You're depressed and angry. You just have to stay here and relax."

He sighed and ran a hand through his spikes. "Tifa, please get out of the way."

She went for his keys, and managed to grab them on the second try. "You need to rest!"

"It's not like I'm sick or anything! Stop treating me like some diseased little child. And give me my keys back."

"No Cloud. Go back to bed. You look like you could fall over."

He threw his hands out to the sides. "Tifa, what are you talking about? No one asked you to be my nanny. I'm twenty-five years old!"

He didn't know what to think when she purposefully walked to him and began pushing him back towards his room. "Wh—Tifa, what the hell are you doing?"

"Let me take care of you Cloud. You won't have to do anything. I'll take care of everything." She sounded like she was trying to convince him to marry her.

"Dear gods, Tifa. I can take care of myself!"

She pushed him back to his bed and sat him down again. "I'm here, Cloud. You don't have to worry anymore."

He pursed his lips. "Now who's sounding crazy?" he mumbled.

"Just lie down and I'll be right in the kitchen, okay?" And then she left him. He watched her go, speechless and confused as all hell. Did she seriously intend to keep him here? Under house arrest in his own apartment? He couldn't stay here. Vincent was waiting for him on that hill. He had to get to Cid's and get the Bronco.

How could he get past her? He could wait until dark. But that could prove to be pointless. He didn't know how into this Tifa was getting, and it could go so far as her sitting outside his door at all hours, guarding him like some prisoner. What was she thinking? Sighing and rubbing his eyes, he decided to just wait it out… for now. He'd play along for a little bit; let her get her kicks. But he had to get to Cid's. He had to get to Rocket Town. He needed his Bronco.

She came in a few more times, offering him food, checking up on him. He really felt like he was in some kind of prison. She wouldn't even let him out of the room to watch TV. By the time night had fallen, he was ready to rip his hair out, partly from the need to get out and look for Vincent, but mostly because he wanted to be left alone. He finally saw his chance when Tifa came in at around 7:30.

He was sitting on his bed, legs crossed, staring out the window and watching the sunset. The door opened slowly and she peeked in. "Cloud?"

"Hmm?" he answered rather uninterestedly, still looking out the window.

She stepped in fully, and he watched her out of the corner of his eye. "Can… I ask a favor?"

He turned to her and raised a blond eyebrow.

"Can I use your shower? I need to clean up. I've been here for two days."

The swordsman tried not to jump in excitement as he saw his window of opportunity as far as getting out. "Um… of course. You didn't really need to ask."

She smiled her thanks and made her way to the bathroom.

Cloud watched her go and waited until she closed the door. "There's a cupboard full of clean towels in there. Take your time," he called as he was rushing for the door. He ran out into the kitchen, vaguely acknowledging that she had responded, and stood in the middle of the room for a moment, searching silently for his keys. He found them next to a pile of freshly washed dishes and smirked. Tifa probably hadn't counted on him trying to sneak out. Hell, he hadn't really counted on having to sneak out of his _own_ house, but he hadn't counted on a lot of things that had happened anyway.

He waited until he heard the water running before grabbing his sword, quietly slipping out and rushing down the stairs. He made his way quickly to the back garage where his bike was. When he got there, he started it and looked back up to his apartment, picking out one of his windows.

"Thanks, Tifa, but I won't sit around while he's out there. I'm going to find him."

He revved the engine and drove down the driveway before turning and heading for the harbor where he could take a boat across the ocean. From there, he'd make his way to Rocket Town, to Cid, and eventually, to Vincent. He smiled as he sped down Main Street. _I'll find you, Vince. I'll find you, and everything will be okay._

* * *

**A/N:** Oy, that Tifa. What's she thinking, keeping Cloud prisoner in his own house? I had a lot of trouble with how to write about her. While I dislike her immensely, I do realize that I have to acknowledge the fact that she does love Cloud. Really, she only has his best interest in mind, but that doesn't mean she can be any less annoying.

So, anyone find that special quote? I'll tell you right now, it's not something from Advent Children, which is what I'm sure a lot of people were expecting. Nope. It's from my other favorite movie! -_^

Okay, so you know the drill by now. Reader reads story, reader clicks review button, reader writes lovely things about my story, author gets very happy. It's the classic fairy tale… or not. But we can make it one! Clicky-clicky...


	14. Unexpected Expectations

**A/N:** Okay, first off, some notes about this chapter. I don't mean to spoil it, but as you may have noticed a few chapters ago, Cid has decided he has a crush on Cloud. Don't blame me, I'm just the author here. These boys are taking me on a wild ride and I have NO control over them. . Kind of. lol. Really though. I've had this planned from the beginning. I even said in the prologue author's note that a secret character would be making an appearance. Well here he is. And he's not going to stop there, let me warn you now. Please, I beg you, don't flame me over him. As far as the rest of the plot goes, he's insignificant, but still important. Really. I chose him, 1. because I like him despite the fact that I know a lot of people don't and 2. because I've only seen it done once. And I like to be original, so if that bothers you, I'm sorry, but it's my story. I'll do what I want with it, just like I have so far, and from what I can tell, no one has really been against my ways thus far, so please trust me on this. All right. I'm done making my little public service announcement.

* * *

**Chapter 13 – Unexpected Expectations**

Early morning mist swirled around him as his clunky boots crunched through the dirt roads. It made the quaint little town seem eerie and deserted, but that was only because it was little after five in the morning and the sleepy village hadn't come to life just yet. The sun wasn't even up. Still, he'd been traveling all night. He was tired, physically sore from sitting in one position for so long, and emotionally drained because he'd only had his dismal thoughts to accompany him on his trip.

His earlier excitement had died down on the boat that had taken him to the Western Continent because it had been a quiet trip, and there was no one he wanted to talk to. It was a commuter ferry, so there were other travelers—quite a few, actually, for such an odd hour—and he had caught the glances he was receiving from a small group of women who were seated on a bench near where he had been standing on the deck. He let them gawk, being careful not to show any signs that he had noticed them so he could avoid confrontation. He was in no mood to be dealing with such things. And so, his thoughts had wandered to his lost lover. Where was he? Was he safe? Was he hurt? Would they ever be reunited?

These questions plagued him as he continued his journey. He had stopped in his villa in Costa del Sol to grab a few rations, but he was too eager to keep going (despite his fatigue) to stay the night there. Thoughts danced tauntingly in his head as he drove across the continent, passing places that held many memories: the Gold Saucer, Cosmo Canyon… Nibelheim.

It was hard for him to drive by Nibelheim. While a small part of him suggested that Vincent might have run there, the more logical side of him highly doubted it. Vincent hated Nibelheim. The tiny town held his worst memories. It held Cloud's worst memories, too, for that matter. No, he wouldn't be stopping in Nibelheim.

He silently replayed his journey in his head as he walked down a stepping stone path that led to his destination. The mist hadn't let up, and it gave him goosebumps, but he'd be inside soon enough; if he didn't get his head bitten off for showing up so early in the morning, that is.

He wasn't sure if Cid was an early-riser. Cid had always been up before him during the Sephiroth mission, but Cloud took the opportunity to get as much sleep as possible whenever he could, so he couldn't be sure exactly how early the pilot awoke on a daily basis. Besides, his habits could have changed in the last four years. Time tends to do that to a person.

When he reached the door, he hesitated a moment, wondering if he should knock. He wasn't sure if Shera still lived there, and he was still uncertain about Cid's early morning mood. He contemplated for a few seconds more before deciding that anything Cid could dish out he could take. Cid had a foul mouth, but Cloud had grown quite accustomed to the pilot's attitude over the years. A small smile appeared on the swordsman's face. Cid was rough, gruff, but essentially full of fluff. He chuckled a little at his childish rhyme, but he had to admit that it did describe the pilot well.

He was knocked out of his musings when he heard the unmistakable voice behind the door. "What in the hell do ya want?" The door was yanked open, revealing a very sleepy eyed and unkempt looking pilot. "Do ya know that it's fuckin' five in the—oh, hi Cloud."

The younger blond attempted a smile, but it was half-hearted, and showed his weariness. "Hey Cid. Sorry to wake you."

The pilot waved a hand and scoffed, stepping back and opening the door a little wider so Cloud could enter. "Nah, ain't nothin'." He yawned as Cloud stepped in, shutting the door behind him. Cloud entered, realizing that he hadn't been inside Cid's house since the rocket launch. He smiled to himself as he noted that absolutely nothing had changed. Even the smell was the same; a strange mix of engine oil and cleaning products with a hint of a flowery kind of scent that wafted in from the tiny garden outside. In all, a very 'Cid' kind of place, and it suited him well.

"Jest uh… make yerself at home, then," Cid said through another yawn as he stepped up next to Cloud. The swordsman yawned as well, feeling as though it was contagious. He made to unbuckle his sword sheath from his shoulder, but Cid took it before he could put it down and set it next to the door.

"Thanks," Cloud said.

Cid nodded in response. "You… want some tea or somethin'?"

Cloud thought for a moment. "No thanks. You know why I'm here right?"

Cid started walking into the kitchen to get himself a cup of tea anyway. "Yeah, for the Bronco. I figured Vince'd come with ya, though."

Cloud followed the pilot, but winced at his last statement. "He's… sort of the reason I'm here too."

Cid cocked an eyebrow at the younger blond after putting the kettle on the stove. "You lovebirds have a little tiff or somethin'?" he asked with a grin. Who cared if it was five in the morning? He didn't want to pass up an opportunity to get some teasing in. His face fell at the extremely hurt expression in Cloud's eyes though. Gods, he looked so damn cute.

Cloud desperately fought back tears as he gathered his strength to tell Cid what had happened. He couldn't hide the shakiness of his voice though. "He's gone. I don't know what I did, but he just blew up at me, and then left." He slumped down in a chair at Cid's kitchen table and kept his eyes on the floor.

The pilot's expression changed to worry as an awkward silence fell over the room. He was no good at comforting people. He wasn't sure if he should say something or just sit down next to the younger blond and cry with him. He sure as hell looked like he needed a hug or something though. _Nah, that'd be weird. Get yer head straight, Highwind._

Cloud sighed after a moment and looked up again. "That's why I need the Bronco as soon as possible. I need to look for him in something that's faster and more durable than my bike."

The kettle let out a loud whistle and made Cid jump. He spoke as he turned around to make his tea. "Well, it's a little early in the mornin' ta be givin' flyin' lessons."

Cloud hung his head, but agreed softly. "Yeah, I figured you'd say that."

Cid turned again and looked at him. "Aw come on now. I didn't say we _couldn't_ do it, it's just early. You look like you could use a rest anyway. Ya look like hell, kid."

Cloud just gave a sad chuckle and raised his head again, resting his elbow on the table and his head on his hand. "Yeah, I suppose I could do with a nap. Been—" He yawned. "—driving all night."

Cid set his tea mug down behind him and walked over to Cloud. "Well, I got a spare bed with yer name on it, if ya want," he suggested, offering his hand to help Cloud up. The swordsman took the offered hand without so much as a spare thought, but to Cid, it suddenly felt like electricity was being shot through his veins from the touch. He withdrew his hand as soon a Cloud was standing, and it left a tingling sensation that he just decided he'd have to contemplate later.

Feeling _really_ awkward now, Cid just smiled a little unsurely and walked out of the room, Cloud following tiredly at his heels, completely unaware of what was going through the pilot's head. They walked down a hallway, Cloud observing his surroundings lazily. Pale-ish, gold-ish, tan-ish wallpaper with white trim that looked quite worn, but still nice; hardwood floor that made his clunky boots seem even clunkier. He had to admit that he liked Cid's house. It gave an odd sense of comfort, which was something he hadn't realized he needed so badly.

They stopped in front of a closed door and Cid pushed it open and walked in first, gesturing for Cloud to follow. A simple twin sized bed sat in the corner with a small table next to it. The window over the side of the bed looked out into the back yard, where he could see the Bronco waiting. He stared at the plane longingly, wishing he knew how to fly it so he could just hop in it and start his search. He couldn't be impatient though. He had to learn to fly it properly, otherwise he'd never find Vincent because he'd end up crashing the damn thing and killing himself. He refused to let anything get in his way of finding the gunman, so even death was out of the question.

Cid cleared his throat, watching the other blond stare out the window. "I know she's pretty, but ya gotta get some sleep if ya wanna fly her right."

Cloud shook his head, shaking his thoughts away as well. "Right. Sorry, kind of blanked out for a second there," he said as he turned to face the pilot and offered a small, almost miniscule smile.

Cid wanted to melt to the floor upon seeing that smile on those lips. Then he wanted to hit himself for wanting to melt to the floor. Liking Cloud was ridiculous, especially since he'd known the young swordsman for almost five years, and nothing of this nature had _ever_ crossed his mind in the past. Cloud was taken anyway. So it shouldn't matter what he thought.

The pilot was jostled out of his musings by a hand on his shoulder. Damn. There was that electricity again. He tried his best to ignore the sensation and looked into Cloud's eyes, making a conscious effort to not think that they were pretty.

"Thanks, Cid," Cloud said, giving his shoulder a squeeze.

The blond pilot swallowed nervously and tried not to show it. "Ah, fer what?"

Cloud didn't move his hand, but let his eyes wander to various parts of Cid's face, something that he normally did anyway. He liked to look at all of the person he was talking to. "For… I dunno. For agreeing to help me fly the Bronco, for letting me sleep here for a little while today."

It was out of his mouth before he could stop it. "You can sleep here as long as ya want. I like the company." He could only hope it didn't sound too corny.

Cloud gave that sad smile again and removed his hand from Cid's shoulder. He made his way over to the bed, unzipping his shirt as he went. Cid started to leave, pulling the door shut behind him, but stopped just before it closed all the way and looked in to see Cloud pull the sleeveless sweater off his shoulders. The pilot couldn't help but take a moment to drink in the sight of Cloud's exposed upper body, the muscles seeming to ripple at even the slightest movement.

He cursed mentally at himself for acting so damn weird and shut the door. He had no clue what was suddenly making his brain think the things it was thinking, and he didn't particularly like the fact that all of a sudden, Cloud was the most beautiful creature he'd ever seen. When the hell had he gotten so sentimental?

He walked down the hall muttering to himself, wondering why this sudden change had occurred. Perhaps it was because he knew of Cloud's… preferences, as far as relationships went. For some reason, that seemed to open up some kind of door to the swordsman's existence; a door that Cid now found a curiosity in entering.

Sighing and running a hand over his face tiredly, he went back to his room and climbed in bed, fully intent on sleeping his thoughts of the blond swordsman away as if they were a hangover.

* * *

Cloud raked his fingers through blond spikes, trying very hard to resist the urge to pull them out of his head in frustration. Tiny luminescent buttons seemed to glare at him with as much anger and resentment as he was aiming in their direction with oceanic eyes.

Cid's voice blared in his headset. "Cloud! Didn't ya hear me? I said turn the JFS to the 'Start 1' position! It ain't that hard to start up the plane, kid!"

Cloud growled. He couldn't _find_ the stupid JFS. Pinching the bridge of his nose in an effort to calm his throbbing head, he pushed the button on his headset to turn on the microphone. "Cid, I dunno how you expect me to start the plane when there are quite possibly thousands of switches and buttons in front of me and all the information I get out of you is 'push the JFS'. _Where_ might this 'JFS' _be_, might I ask?"

He heard Cid sigh. "Left Console, Cloud. I already told ya that."

Grumbling to himself, Cloud searched the panel to his left. The JFS was at the top of a strip of metal in the panel towards the center. He turned it to 'Start 1' and the plane roared to life as the start motor was supplied with jet fuel, presumably what 'JFS' stood for: Jet Fuel Supply.

"Okay, good. Now check the EEC BUC to make sure it's in the EEC position. It's right under the JFS."

All these abbreviated letter combinations were swirling around in Cloud's mind, but he managed to find the EEC BUC easily enough, and it was in the correct position, for which he thanked every god he'd ever heard of.

He could hear Cid take a drag from his cigarette through the headphones. He rolled his eyes at the sound. "It's in the right position."

"Good! Now, when you're steering the plane, just remember that when you pull the side stick controller towards you, you'll gain altitude, and when you push it away from ya, you'll descend. Twisting it will cause ya to twist the plane, so don't do that 'less ya wanna be doin' barrel rolls midair."

Cloud's eyes widened at that thought, and his stomach lurched just from imagining the kind of motion sickness he'd get from something like that. "Well, how do I turn then? I can't just fly straight all the time."

He rolled his eyes at Cid's laughter. The man just _had_ to make a sex joke out of everything. "Nah, can't have the planet's hero flyin' straight, eh?" He laughed some more and Cloud thought he felt his eye start to twitch a little. "The stick moves to the right an' left as well as up 'n down. Jes' push it in the direction ya wanna fly."

That was easy enough, Cloud thought. "Okay, so, how do I get it off the ground now?"

" 'At's what the throttle's for, kid!" Cloud winced at the loudness of the pilot's voice and lowered the volume on his headset.

Eventually, with great difficulty, Cloud actually managed to get the Bronco into the air. It was the most nerve-wracking experience of his _life_, but he did it. And he had to admit, Cid was a pretty good teacher, despite the frustration he inspired. Cloud even managed to narrowly avoid hitting the top of a tree, and he was proud that he hadn't hit it, despite the frantic yelling in his headset to "watch the hell out!"

By the end of the day, he had flown around the outskirts of Rocket Town and managed to land safely, albeit shakily, back on the runway behind Cid's house.

As he climbed out of the cockpit, he pulled his headset off and stretched. Cid was on his way over to congratulate him on not dying, but he nearly tripped over his own feet when Cloud lifted his arms over his head and a tiny portion of his abs was revealed. It almost made his mouth water. He mentally smacked himself. He had to stop this.

Cloud approached him, looking very satisfied with himself. Cid smiled nervously and avoided his eyes. "Uh, yeah. Nice flyin' kid."

Cloud looked a little disappointed that he didn't get more praise, but Cid just turned abruptly and started back toward the house. Cid had been acting funny, but Cloud didn't want to think about it. Even when he was focused on something else, Vincent was always lingering in the back of his mind, and he knew he had to keep his concentration on learning to fly, so he could have his reunion with his lover on that far away hill. That image was what fueled him, and the more he thought about it, the more he felt it would actually happen.

The more logical side of him said that he was just getting his hopes up, that when he found Vincent—correction, _if_ he found Vincent—the dark gunner might not be so thrilled to see him. However, Cloud decided that he wanted to ignore that side, and listen to the one that was telling him that Vincent still loved him, that Vincent missed him as much as he missed Vincent, and that Vincent could be easily swayed to forgiveness with a hug and a kiss. He liked that idea better.

He followed Cid inside. It was starting to get dark, and the sky was threatening to rain with dark grey clouds gathering like a plague. He stole one last glance at the plane before closing the back door behind him. He wondered if it would be okay in the rain, or if it needed to be covered or something. He didn't particularly like the Bronco's pinkish color, but he didn't want it to get ruined. It was _his_ plane now, after all. He wanted to take care of it.

He found Cid in the kitchen, fixing himself another cup of tea. The man drank tea almost as much as he smoked. Cloud wondered why he didn't get sick of the stuff. He shrugged mentally and approached the pilot, sitting down at the table and clearing his throat. "It's gonna rain."

Cid continued fixing his tea, giving a brief hum in response. Concentrate on the tea, not on the pretty boy sitting at the table. If he could just manage that, he'd be fine.

"Does it need to be covered or anything?"

Cid turned and raised his mug to his mouth. After taking a sip, he shrugged, trying to seem casual—or rather, trying to seem like he wasn't mentally undressing the man in front of him. He wasn't. Or, he wasn't a second ago. Damn it. _Oh yeah, he asked a question._ "Uh, nah, it—she should be fine."

Cloud looked at him suspiciously. "Cid is there something wrong?"

The pilot ran a hand through his short, blond hair. "Nah, I'm fine, kid. Never better."

Cloud looked at him in disbelief, but he didn't say anything more. He didn't have to anyway, because he heard the front door open and close, followed by footsteps approaching them.

Cid leapt at the chance to get away from the awkwardness hanging in the air and rushed out of the kitchen, and out of Cloud's sight, calling out to the person who came in. "Jeez! I was wonderin' when you'd be back! What took so damn long?"

The swordsman strained to listen.

"I—I'm sorry, Captain. The part you ordered hadn't arrived yet and I had to wait for it."

Cloud recognized the shy, female voice to be Shera's. So she did still live here. His thoughts were confirmed when they entered the kitchen. He politely stood up to greet her.

"Oh, is that Cloud Strife? Cloud! How are you?" Shera exclaimed immediately, rushing over to give him a hug.

Cloud smiled, still trying to be polite. "I've been better, but thank you for asking. How have you been?"

"Oh, you know. Things as hectic as ever, especially with him around." She nodded her head in Cid's direction. He simply huffed and sipped his tea. "What brings you here?"

"Cid's teaching me to fly."

Shera glanced at the pilot, her eyebrows going up in amused shock. "Really?" Cid rolled his eyes and she turned back to Cloud. "He must like you, then," she said with a nudge to Cloud's side.

Cid choked on his tea upon hearing that and two pairs of eyes turned on him. Clearing his throat and pulling on his collar, he set his tea down. "Uh, ahem. I'm going to… uh… cover up the Bronco. It's gonna rain," he grumbled quickly, and pushed his way out of the room.

"Wait, I thought you said it'd be fine! Cid!" Cloud watched after the pilot in bewilderment, wondering what had just happened. He turned back to Shera, who was sporting an amused smirk, and excused himself to follow Cid.

He exited to the back yard and found Cid fiddling with a large tarp and muttering to himself. Cloud took hold of one end of the tarp without asking if Cid needed help. Cid looked at him, his expression unreadable, but didn't say anything. Together they covered the plane and then headed back inside just in time for the skies to open up and pour out every bit of water they could manage.

Shera was cooking when they got in, and the scent filled Cloud's nostrils. Cid was uncharacteristically quiet as he went into the living room to retrieve the part Shera had brought home for him. Cloud watched from the hallway as the pilot grabbed a set of tools and sat on the couch to explore his new part. Cloud wondered about his sudden change, but decided it wasn't his business. He was tired, and he didn't really want to think about it. He made his way to the room he'd been using for a couple of days now. Since he was alone, his mind began to wander and a face he'd become familiar with seeing in his head appeared as he reached the door to his room and opened it. He imagined for a moment that Vincent would be waiting on the other side, but his pretense was just that: pretend.

He was trying. Dear Shiva, he was trying so hard. He was trying to stay in control, trying to stay optimistic. But _everything_ reminded him of Vincent. Even the Tiny Bronco made him think of the gunner. Vincent was with him when they'd first met Cid, when they'd first used the plane. The color of it reminded him of Vincent because it was pink, and pink was a shade of red, and red was the color of Vincent's cape… his eyes. He wished the last time he'd seen those eyes hadn't been so frightening. He wished they hadn't looked so hurt and angry.

He sat on his bed and wrapped his arms around his knees, trying to pretend they were Vincent's arms instead of his own. He looked out the window next to him. The rain was beating down with a fury unlike any he'd ever seen. The corners of the tarp covering the Bronco outside flapped helplessly. He sympathized with them. He too felt helpless.

He wondered if Vincent was seeing this rain too. Where would he find shelter? Cloud didn't think he'd be stuck outside, just because this was Vincent he was thinking about, but he still couldn't help but worry for his safety and his health. Even the indestructible Vincent Valentine could get sick if he were cold and wet with nowhere to go.

The raindrops slid down the outside of the glass window, making him think of tears. The window was crying. Good. Someone besides himself could cry too, just so he wouldn't feel so alone.

A knock on the door startled him. He quickly wiped his tears away when he saw Cid in the doorway, since he hadn't shut it all the way when he'd come in. The pilot looked at him with that unreadable expression again. "Uh… Shera said dinner's ready, if ya want some."

Cloud let his legs fall so he was sitting cross-legged. "Thanks. I'll… be there in a minute," he said quietly, eyes downcast.

Cid nodded and started to turn away, but he stopped and turned back. _Shit, he's really upset._ Making his decision, he walked over and sat on the bed next to the swordsman. For a moment, he didn't say anything, just contemplated his next move. _Come on, Highwind. Ya got yerself this far, now what're ya gonna do?_ He looked up at Cloud. "You… really miss him, huh?"

Cloud didn't say anything, just closed his eyes. One tear rolled down his cheek and he turned his head to hide it.

Without thinking, Cid reached out to wipe it away, but stopped himself mid-reach. Instead, he hesitantly patted the younger blond's shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze before getting up and leaving the room. Cloud sighed, gathering his composure and followed the pilot to the dinner table.

Shera was a good cook, and Cloud made sure to tell her so when they had finished eating.

"Oh, stop it, Cloud," she said with a blush. He smiled genuinely at her, perhaps the first real smile that had appeared on his face in days. He liked making her feel good.

Cid just laughed. "Yep, that's why I keep her around!"

Shera looked at him and slapped his shoulder playfully. "Oh, well, thanks," she said with a laugh.

The pilot smiled at her. "Nah, I'm just kiddin'." Shera crossed her arms and nodded in triumph. Cid smirked. "She's good fer cleanin' and pickin' up plane parts too!" He said with another hearty laugh.

Shera feigned insult and whacked his shoulder again. Cloud watched them interact with a sad sort of awe. He missed just being playful with someone special. He had to admit that Cid and Shera were cute together, and he was genuinely happy for his friends. He just didn't think he could show it as well as he would have liked right then.

Shera turned to him after a few more minutes of play-fighting with Cid. "Cloud, you've been awfully quiet. Is everything okay?"

Cloud looked up at her with weary eyes. "Yeah, I'm just tired I suppose." It wasn't exactly a lie. He was tired.

Cid leaned back in his chair. "Cloud's never really been the big talker of the group."

Shera leaned toward Cid. "Well, no one can ever have a chance to be a 'big talker' if you're anywhere around."

Cid slumped. "What's that s'posed ta mean?"

Cloud chuckled despite himself when Cid pouted. That was definitely something he'd never expect Cid to do. He knew it was for Shera's sake though. He thought it funny how much Cid's attitude toward her had changed. Granted, he could still blow up at her when she pushed his buttons, but deep down, he cared for her.

The brunette smiled and ruffled Cid's hair lovingly. "Never mind, Captain," she said as she stood and started to clear the table. Cloud stood as well, intending to help.

"You put those dishes down, Cloud. Just make yourself comfortable."

"Are you sure? I'd be glad to help."

Cid laughed and walked up behind Cloud, draping an arm over the younger man's shoulders. "Now, stop tryin' ta kiss up to her, Strife."

Cloud shook his head. "But I wasn't—"

Shera turned and took the plate Cloud was holding. "Really, Cloud. You're a guest." She gave him a smile.

Cid still hadn't removed his arm. "Ya don't always have to be the hero, kid."

Cloud let a shy smile tug on his lips. "Sorry. Just used to it, I guess."

After a while, they moved into the living room to just sit. Shera was knitting something, Cid was sitting on the couch, toying with the plane part, and Cloud was gazing out the window again. The rain had let up a little bit, but it wasn't anywhere near being done. Occasionally, Cid would look up and just watch the swordsman. _Poor kid. Damn you, Vince, fer makin' him so damn sad._ He let out a short sigh. _And damn me for wantin' to jus' make it all go away for him._

Cloud eventually excused himself again to go to bed. Cid watched him leave, his face looking happy, but his eyes giving away his misery. It pulled at the pilot's heart. He wasn't sure how much more of this he could take.

They continued that way for another few days. Cloud had managed to learn to fly the Bronco almost as well as the Captain himself, and Cid was proud that it was his own teaching that had allowed that. He liked teaching Cloud. Or rather, he liked being able to share something with him, just the two of them. Cid knew nothing could happen between them, but that didn't stop him from dreaming. He only hoped that would be enough to satisfy him. There were plenty of times when his hands would just itch to touch that porcelain skin, or run through the fluffy chocobo hair, and the pilot found himself mentally kicking his own ass on more than one occasion each day.

As far as he knew, Cloud was oblivious to his feelings, and he wasn't sure if he was thankful for that, or upset by it. He didn't want to come between Cloud and Vincent, but the way things were looking, there was a whole planet between them already, so why not give it a shot? He didn't know what to do. He wanted to tell himself that if he tried anything, he'd feel too guilty, but then Cloud would do something maddeningly miniscule, like spill a bit of water down his chin when he was drinking, and Cid would have to literally hold on to something to keep himself from licking it off. No, he wasn't sure he could have so much control for much longer.

It was Tuesday, a week after Cloud had arrived. They had finished dinner and were sitting in the living room. It had become a sort of nightly ritual. Each night, though, Cid would notice that Cloud's gazing out the window became a little sadder.

With a sigh, Cloud stood from his spot on the couch. "I think I'm gonna go to bed early. Had a long day today."

Shera looked up from her knitting. "Okay, Cloud. Goodnight."

He smiled tiredly at her. "Goodnight, Shera. Dinner was amazing, as usual."

She just laughed and waved him away. On his way out of the room, he patted Cid's shoulder, not noticing when the pilot tensed immediately at the touch. "Night, Cid," he said as he walked out. Cid watched him go for a second before putting the plane part down on the table. "Uh, I'm gonna call it a night, too, 'kay Sher?"

"Okay. Goodnight, Captain."

He was already on his way out of the room. "Night."

He wasn't sure what he was doing. He just knew that his legs had taken complete control of themselves, and he found himself standing outside Cloud's door. It was open a crack, and from where he was standing he could just make out half of Cloud. He watched as the ex-SOLDIER pulled his shirt over his head and moved his arms around to loosen them up. The muscles in his back tensed and flexed and it mesmerized the pilot. Finally, he caught himself nearly drooling and he shook his head to clear it. He still had no idea what he was doing when he knocked softly on the door.

"Come in," came Cloud's tired voice. Cid pushed the door open and forced himself to tear his eyes away from anywhere but Cloud's face. "Hi, Cid."

Cid stepped in and shoved his hands in his pockets. "Hi…"

Cloud looked at the older blond expectantly. "Need something?"

Cid shook his head, blue eyes locked on blue. "Nope."

"Then… why are you here?"

Cid gave the room a once over, trying to appear casual, and shrugged. "I dunno. You seemed like you could use some company. You left pretty quick."

"I'm just tired."

Cid shrugged again and stepped further into the room. _What are you doin', Highwind?_ his brain screamed, but he wasn't listening to it. "You… wanna talk or somethin'?"

Cloud eyed the pilot suspiciously. "Not… really. Why, you have something you want to talk about?"

The pilot shrugged a third time and made his way over to the bed. "You, uh… you ever realized that you liked someone, well, ya know, like more than a friend, but you've known them for a long time and it's confusin' 'cause ya never felt it before?"

Cloud wasn't sure where he was going with this, and sat down next to him on the bed. "Well, yeah. I think that happens to a lot of people. Why? You like someone, Cid?" he asked with the slightest hint of humor in his voice.

Cid looked at him. "Yeah, I think I do."

Cloud smiled at him. What he wouldn't give to just devour that smile. The swordsman put his hand on the pilot's knee. "Well, you should tell her. No use keeping it all bottled up, huh?"

The word 'her' stood out in Cid's mind. He looked at Cloud, confusion showing slightly in his blue eyes.

Cloud just chuckled. "Shera will be thrilled, Cid. You shouldn't be afraid to tell her."

Cid shook his head. "It's not Shera. Man, I like the girl, but not _that_ much."

Cloud hadn't removed his hand from Cid's knee and the pilot stared at it, not wanting it to ever move. Cloud squeezed his knee gently, sending a silent shiver through his body. "Well, whoever it is, you shouldn't hesitate to do something about it."

Cid looked up at Cloud. His mako blue eyes were kind and glowing. The tiniest smile was pulling his lips up, and his hand on the pilot's knee was radiating a warmth that he'd never felt before. He couldn't stop himself. He slowly leaned closer, the gap between them getting smaller. Really, he wasn't moving all that slow, but it felt like he was. When he was mere centimeters away from the other blond, Cloud spoke, his warm breath sliding over the pilot's face.

"Cid, what are you doing?"

The pilot looked into his eyes again and chuckled. "Taking your advice and doing something about it."

Their lips met, and Cid wanted to melt. The swordsman's mouth was so soft. No man's lips should be that soft. But it only pushed him further. Slowly, he deepened the kiss, raising his hand to slide his fingers into the hair at the nape of Cloud's neck. It was slow, full of exploration. Cid didn't want to stop, but he didn't want to move too quickly either. He wanted to enjoy the feel of Cloud's lips sliding over his, wanted to remember it, wanted it to never end.

It had to though, when the pilot realized he needed air, and so did Cloud. Gradually, he pulled away smiling slightly as he opened his eyes. His thumb ran back and forth over the younger man's smooth cheek. He chuckled lightly as his eyes raised tentatively to Cloud's. "Didn't see that comin' did ya?"

The pilot's tone suggested he hadn't seen it coming either. Cloud wasn't sure what to think. Cid's hand was warm on his face, and he wanted to lean into it, but it was calloused and rough. Not the hand he really wanted to be leaning into. Unable to say anything, he only lowered his eyes.

Cid watched Cloud's inner turmoil flash through his eyes, and immediately came down from his elated high. The fun was gone now, and only guilt remained. How could he have been so _stupid_? He pulled his hand away, albeit reluctantly, and ran it through his hair.

"That was probably the last thing you need, huh?" He sighed loudly. Cloud remained silent, eyes studying the sheets they were sitting on. "I won't apologize though. You told me to do something about it. So I did."

"I did," the swordsman agreed softly.

They sat in silence for a minute longer before Cid got up. He felt he had to, before he lost control of himself again. Muttering a 'goodnight' softly, he closed the door behind him.

Cloud sat unmoving on his bed, save for the slight motion of his fingers toying with a thread that was hanging off the sheet he was sitting on. He most certainly hadn't expected the pilot to kiss him. He hadn't even _considered_ the fact that Cid might… swing that way, so to speak. Hell, he lived here, with Shera, a _woman_, and on top of that, they really acted like they loved each other. Easily deceiving. No wonder Cid had been acting funny all week. _Was he really just trying not to do that? I suppose I did provoke him, telling him he should just do it._ He sighed and rubbed his eyes, feeling a headache coming on.

He pulled the sheets down and climbed under them, flicking the light off afterwards. The white room was suddenly washed in the dark blue of the nighttime. He was exhausted, but sleep wouldn't come.

_Tomorrow,_ he decided. _Tomorrow I'll leave. I can fly well enough. That will be my excuse. I just… don't know if I can stick around here after that._

Where he would go, he wasn't sure yet. But he needed to leave. There was still hope that he'd find Vincent. He would deal with Cid after the gunner had been found, or after the hope ran out.

_Whichever comes first,_ he thought, before sleep finally claimed him.

* * *

**A/N:** Well, it's another long one, ne? It was going to be longer actually, but it got to the point where I was just like, "Holy crap this is getting really long, I need to stop at some point." So I stopped. It really wasn't going to go that much farther anyway, but I felt like letting it go early. Haha, class dismissed! ^^

Just gotta say, I did actually research the stuff about the plane. Those are actual switches and stuff found in some kind of fighter jet. That was fun. I'm not sure about the order for using said switches, because the site I found only had what the switches did, and not what order to push them in when starting the plane. I made all that up. So yeah. That's my excuse for that. -_^ Also, the little rhyme that Cloud uses to describe Cid, credit for that goes to my dear friend and honorary muse, Linz. She's so smart. ^^

Now... I'm almost afraid to ask for reviews. But I'm going to. Very quietly. *whispers* Uhm, review? Please? And be nice? For my sake? For this story's sake? ^^;


	15. Déjà Vu

**A/N:** Well, this was fun. I've been turning out chapters pretty consistently, ne? I'm proud of myself. We're getting to the good stuff, people. The good angsty stuff. I enjoy angst.

I'd just like to yell out a very loud "THANK YOU!" to my wonderful friend Troi for making a random comment while we were on the phone one night that inspired the whole second half of this chapter.

And of course, I have to thank my muses too, because I loves them to DEATH. They know who they are. And a most amazing thank you to the people who have drawn fanart for this story. *wipes away tear* I'm really, really honored that people like this story enough to say, "Hey, I think I'll draw him some fanart." Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside. I dunno why I've decided to turn this into the thank you chapter. Oh well. *shrug*

While I'm at it, let's do something I haven't done in a while.

**Disclaimer:**I dun' own nothin'. I don't even own my car. If I did own these characters though… well, the world doesn't need to know what I'd be doin' with them. *evil grin* (Don't forget about 'the power' now! XD Oh Cydney… I miss you…)

Enough of my ramblings. Story time. ^^

* * *

**Chapter 14 – Déjà vu**

"Are you sure you have to go now? You haven't even had breakfast yet," Shera tried to reason as Cloud tossed the Buster Sword into the cockpit of the Tiny Bronco. Cloud smiled warmly at her—at least, as warmly as he could.

"Yeah, I think I should go. I can fly well enough, and I wouldn't want to… overstay my welcome."

The brunette scientist waved a hand at him, not noticing his pause. "Nonsense. You're a wonderful guest and a pleasure to be around. You're always welcome."

Cloud placed the last of his belongings in the plane. "Thank you, but even so, I… really need to leave."

Cid watched quietly, puffing on a cigarette, as Cloud readied himself to go. He didn't want him to leave. Not after… that. Cloud claimed he wanted to leave because he didn't need any more flying lessons, but the pilot had a different theory, and he was sure he was right.

He watched, leaning against the frame of the back door. Shera finally gave in and hugged Cloud. How could it be that women always seemed to make hugging look so natural, yet when two men hugged, people stared? Cid scoffed. Yeah, he was jealous. He was jealous that Shera was the one hugging Cloud instead of himself.

Finally, Shera went inside after having her fill of goodbyes. Cloud watched her go in, and Cid could feel those mako blue eyes turn to him. Mustering up all the confidence he could manage, he slowly walked over to where Cloud was standing, tossing his demolished cigarette away as he did so. The swordsman watched him, his right hand propped on his hip. Cid bit the inside of his lip. Damn that SOLDIER stance. Why the hell did he have to stand like that all the time? It accented his hips, his torso, his arms…

_Stop starin' you idiot._ The pilot shook his head a little bit to clear his mind. He shoved his hands in his pockets when he was standing in front of the younger blond, mostly to ensure that he'd keep them to himself.

Cloud looked awkward, his face twisting into the cutest expression Cid had ever seen. Wait. Cute? The pilot suddenly felt the urge to smack himself.

"Cid, I…"

"Yer leavin' 'cause of last night, right?"

Cloud shook his head a little too enthusiastically to be believable. "No, of course not."

The Captain raised an eyebrow. "Uh huh."

Cloud ran a hand through his unruly spikes, sighing as he did so. "Really, Cid, I… it wasn't a bad thing. I just need to go before it's… too late."

Cid chuckled a little bitterly. "Cloud, yer a shitty liar."

"I'm not lying."

The pilot shrugged. "Whatever you say, kid."

The swordsman sighed. "Okay, fine. I'll admit… it does make me feel a little awkward, but not for the reason you think."

Both eyebrows went up. "Oh really? An' what is it you think I think?"

"It's not because it was you. You just… could have timed it a little better."

Cid laughed, though he was far from being amused, and his tone was dripping with sarcasm. "Oh good, I'm glad ta know this is one of those 'it's not you, it's me' kind of situations. Makes me feel real good, Cloud."

Cloud scowled at the pilot. "Look, it's not like I could have helped everything that's happened. I've already stayed here too long, and I need to go before I lose him forever."

The older blond rolled his eyes. "You're so damn dramatic."

Cloud was climbing into the plane. "Yeah, well, when there's drama happening, it's a little unavoidable." He sat down heavily in the pilot's seat and looked at Cid, who was scuffing his feet in the dirt and staring at the rock he was kicking around. "Cid."

The pilot wanted to look at the younger man, but he felt a childish need to be stubborn.

"Cid."

The man in question just sighed and kicked the rock away.

"Cid, look at me, will you?"

_All right, fine._ "What?"

Cloud smiled a little sadly. "Thank you."

At the sight of that smile, all of Cid's apprehensions melted into nothing and he gave a small smile in return. "Find 'im, okay?"

Cloud nodded subtly and closed the door of the plane behind him. As he started the vehicle, he watched the pilot watching him. Cid's shoulders rose and fell in a sigh, and Cloud just wanted to get out of there. He needed to face one problem at a time, and right now, Vincent's whereabouts took precedent. He drove the plane down the runway, and took off, watching Cid's figure get smaller and smaller as he ascended.

"I'm coming, Vince. Just… don't move, wherever you are."

He had decided to search the closer areas first. Well, the closer areas that he thought Vincent would go to avoid him. Nibelheim and Cosmo Canyon were too obvious, he thought, and he figured Vincent would think the same thing. Besides, those places had histories that he knew neither of them would rather relive. So he decided on the little mountain town of North Corel.

The Bronco was surprisingly quiet, for a giant piece of machinery. The ex-SOLDIER wasn't sure if he was glad for the peace, or disturbed by what his mind did with that peace. Every waking moment was spent wondering what he'd find in the tiny mountain town. He had no idea if he was on the right track. It didn't help that he really had no idea where to start. It reminded him of when they were searching for Sephiroth. He never thought he'd have to go through that again, much less with _another_ of his lovers.

That thought inspired some fear. Sephiroth had been his lover, Sephiroth had gone insane, Sephiroth had led him on some wild goose chase… and then, Cloud had had to kill Sephiroth. He clenched his eyes shut for a moment, praying, hoping, wishing, whatever he could do that would keep him from having to go through the same thing with Vincent. He wasn't sure if he could take having to kill Vincent… he wasn't sure if he could take losing another person he loved. It would just be too much.

He broke out of his reverie when North Corel appeared over the mountain he'd just passed, presumably Mt. Corel. He took a deep breath and prepared to land the plane in the stretch of grass between the town and the Gold Saucer. He touched the plane down, his now nearly professional flying skills showcasing themselves, and climbed out of the cockpit after coming to a stop. He made his way into the town, which hadn't changed much. Instead of the ratty old tents, the people had built small cabins. There was still junk everywhere, lining the makeshift streets, but at least the tents were gone. One less thing to remind him of Vincent.

He knew no one would recognize him here. At least, he hoped they wouldn't. He hadn't spent much time here, aside from breezing through to use the ropeway to race his Chocobos at the Gold Saucer. The town didn't have power either, so no one had a TV to keep up with the news during the Meteor Crisis. With this thought in mind, he stood still for a second in the street he'd used to enter the town, taking in the scenery, and picking out a good place to start asking questions.

One thing that certainly hadn't changed about the town was its busy population. Though the town was tiny—thirty people at the most—they were the most diligent group of people he'd ever come upon. The town was noisy with the shouts of vendors and the various people out and about. The air was dusty, and made his nose itch. He rubbed it as he picked out a shopkeeper who looked slightly less intimidating than the rest of the people.

"Why, hello there! You look like the kinda guy who ain't afraid to stand up for himself. You know what you need? You need some brand new materia. How about this Fire materia? It'd go great with your…" The man eyed Cloud's sword, a nervous look crossing his face, and he swallowed hard before continuing. "Sword."

Cloud simply raised a blond eyebrow at the vendor, folding his arms over his chest. He must have looked more threatening than he thought, because the poor man cowered. "Uh… wh-why don't you j-just tell me what it is you're… lookin' for?"

Cloud stared straight into the man's eyes for the first time, knowing that the mako in them would give away his former occupation. He wanted to laugh at the man's expression upon recognizing the distinct glow, that obvious mark of a SOLDIER, but he didn't want to blow his façade.

"It's not really… _what_ I'm looking for. It's more of a _who._"

The vendor held up his hands, looking as though he were surrendering to some kind of law official. "Hey, listen, I don't know nothin' 'bout what's been goin' on at that inn."

Again, a blond eyebrow rose. "Neither do I," he said coolly.

The man blanched for a second, before clearing his throat. Cloud felt the urge to laugh again, but he didn't. He held the man's gaze and posed his question. "I'm looking for a man; wondering if he may have passed through here?"

The vendor couldn't tear his eyes away from the glowing blue mako. Exactly what Cloud had wanted. "Well… a lot of men come through here. I'm not sure if I'll be able to tell which—"

"He's pretty hard to miss," Cloud interrupted, nearly pushing the man to groveling. "Tall, black hair, giant red cape."

The vendor only stared, shaking his head slightly. Cloud let out a quick breath and turned to walk away, but he stopped when the man called out to him.

"Wait! I've seen him!"

Instantly Cloud turned back and was towering over the man, who was trembling slightly. "When?" the swordsman asked, seeming a little more forceful than he had originally wanted.

The man stuttered as he spoke. Cloud made a note to feel bad for him later. "H-he came th-through t-town… 'bout a w-week ago… h-he bought a gun from Carri… o-over there…" He pointed to another vendor across the street.

Cloud glanced at the other vendor, before turning back to the man in front of him. With a quick 'thanks', he made his way across the street, fighting back a smile at the man's rather obvious sigh of relief. Was he really that dangerous looking? Ah, well, it would work to his advantage.

He approached the weapon shop, more of just a bunch of tables with weapons on display than an actual shop. Behind one of the tables was a rather tough looking woman, brown hair tied back tightly. Cloud thought she sort of looked like Tifa, if Tifa were more… manly. She flashed him a grin when she caught him walking toward her, giving him an appreciative once over and making him want to roll his eyes. She definitely reminded him of Tifa.

"You're Carri, I assume," he said when he got to the table.

"That'd be me," she said in a slightly gruff voice. "What can I… do for you?" she asked, propping a hand on her hip. Her tone suggested something other than selling him a weapon. He again fought the urge to roll his eyes.

He pointed over his shoulder. "Guy over there said you could give me some information."

Her eyes narrowed in an almost seductive manner. "I'll give ya anything ya want, honey."

He was _so_ not in the mood to be getting hit on. "I want information, and that's _it,_" he said sharply.

She shrugged subtly and leaned over the table, blatantly trying to bring attention to her cleavage. Cloud met her eyes challengingly, daring her to try something, the mako glowing brighter. She noticed this, and seemed to shrink away, though she didn't really move. Whatever it was that these people had against SOLDIER, he was glad for.

"I'm looking for someone; heard he bought something from this shop about a week ago."

Her tone was sticky sweet, trying to cover up the slight apprehension that Cloud assumed came from the realization that he was with SOLDIER, or at least appeared to be. "You'll have to be a little more specific than that, hun."

"Dark hair, red cape. Red, _mako_ eyes." He stressed the word 'mako', hoping to get her to back off a little more. It worked.

She drew back and folded her arms. "I remember. He bought a small handgun. Had a look in his eyes, he did."

It was Cloud's turn to lean over the table. "Did he say where he was going?"

Her demeanor changed again, back to a seductive sort of hesitance. "He might have." She turned her face away from him, pretending to inspect her fingernails.

Cloud slammed a fist down on the table. "Well?"

Carri shrugged. "I don't quite remember. Maybe you'll have to… jog my memory a little bit." She again leaned over the table, coming very close to Cloud's face.

The swordsman sighed exasperatedly. Time to use some force. With an unimaginable speed, he had drawn his sword and was pointing it directly at the woman's face, which dropped its cocky expression immediately as the tip of a _very_ large sword pointed right between her eyes. She swallowed hard and stared at it.

Cloud tilted his head to the side. "Does _this_ help your memory at all?"

A small crowd had gathered at the other side of the street. Carri glanced to them, back to the sword in her face, and then to Cloud. "B-Bone Village," she stammered irritably.

Cloud smirked and sheathed his sword. "Thank you." Without another word, he walked away and left the town.

Bone Village? What would Vincent be doing there? He pondered this as he made his way back to his plane. There was even less in Bone Village than there was in North Corel. Bone Village was just an excavation site, and it had been abandoned for a couple of years now, because after the Meteor Crisis, all the treasure had been cleaned out. It couldn't even be used as a gateway to the Sleeping Forest now, because the forest had gone back to its original state, and Cloud still had the Lunar Harp, the only thing that could tame the forest so it wouldn't swallow him whole.

He stopped in his tracks, his eyes widening. He still had the harp. Vincent did not. Was Vincent planning on trying to navigate the forest? The swordsman frowned worriedly. He sincerely hoped not. If the gunner even set foot in that forest, it was guaranteed he would never be seen again.

Cloud rushed to the Bronco and climbed in, hastily taking off and heading north. He had to get to Bone Village. Maybe Vincent would still be there. Maybe the gunner had just been looking for a quiet place to be alone. That had to be it. He would find Vincent in Bone Village. Then they would talk, work things out, and go home together. He pushed a few switches on the pilot's console, causing the plane to pick up speed. He wanted to reach Bone Village by nightfall, but wasn't sure if that was going to be possible. He was more than half a continent away.

He didn't care though. He had enough fuel to take him around the entire planet three times, and he would do just that if he had to. He wasn't going to let Vincent get away.

He flew for what seemed like years. The sky was beginning to turn a fiery orange. Sunset. And he was only just flying by Costa Del Sol. Well, at least he was half way there.

The sun settled itself behind the horizon, giving way to the darkness that night brought. Cloud was still flying, trying not to let himself get discouraged by the lack of light. He'd never flown at night before. His more logical side told him to land the plane, get some sleep, start out again in the morning. But he didn't listen.

Sleep was unproductive. If he slept, he would be wasting valuable time. He couldn't land now, not when he was so close. When did so much water get between the Western and Northern Continents? He gripped the side stick controller roughly, squeezing it as hard as he could. He couldn't back down. He could see snowy mountaintops in the distance. Getting closer.

Finally, after an eternity of flying fast, Bone Village appeared in front of him. He circled around, looking for the best spot to land. There was a long, flat patch of grass to the east of the excavation site. He used it to his advantage and landed there. Without a second thought he jumped out of the plane as soon as it was stopped. He was quite far from the old village, but it wasn't a distance he couldn't run.

He took off, his heart beating wildly with excitement and anticipation. He heard it in his ears, felt as though his whole body was throbbing, beating along with his life force. Adrenaline rushed through him. He was almost there! He could feel something happening, and in his blind rush, he misinterpreted it as something good. He knew he was going to find Vincent. He could feel it. He pushed any doubt in his mind away.

The forest surrounding the village was in sight. He inadvertently picked up his speed. Almost there.

A sharp cry suddenly cut through the air, and only after a minute did Cloud realize that it was from himself. He had tripped and tumbled head over heels to land harshly in the grass. His arm was twisted underneath him, but he thought it was okay. He sat up, feeling like he was losing time again. Scrambling to his feet, he took off again without even looking in front of him. Without warning, he crashed hard into something very solid, very warm. His vision blurred for a second and all he saw was red.

Red… red. His eyes widened. Red! Vincent!

But… when did Vincent get that tall? He shook his head, trying to clear his vision. However, when a deep growl emitted from the red thing… he froze.

He looked up, the darkness and his lack of focus keeping his vision blurry. Giant footsteps sounded, crunching the grass of the small field. With wide eyes that were gradually becoming more focused, Cloud's gaze rose. The red object turned toward him, and Cloud found himself face to face with a Vlakorados.

The monster bared yellow fangs, dripping with saliva and what looked like blood, probably from the unfortunate creature that became the monster's last meal. The swordsman remembered fighting Vlakorados. They were some of the toughest monsters around. It had taken Vincent, Nanaki, _and_ Cloud to bring one down in the past, and even with the three of them, it still took almost an hour of fighting before the beast finally fell.

Cloud gulped and reached for his sword… which wasn't there. Shit. He left it in the plane.

He fumbled backwards, falling down rather ungracefully and scrambling away as fast as he could. The monster watched him with black eyes, its nearly 6-inch fangs hanging out of its open mouth. Dinner had arrived.

Quickly, Cloud glanced back to the Bronco. Maybe he could get back to it to grab his sword. No, too far. He turned back to the monster, which seemed to be smirking at him. 'There's no use running,' was what the monster seemed to be telling him. Fear stung him, pumping him full of adrenaline again as he leapt up. He was quick on his feet. He could dodge the dragon-like creature and get to the safety of the village.

He stared back into the monster's eyes, challenging it. It growled again and lowered its body, preparing to attack. Cloud braced himself. His muscles tensed and a sweat broke on his forehead. The Vlakorados made a short noise, seemingly announcing its attack, before it jumped forward. At that instant, Cloud dove, hoping to slip right underneath the giant reptile so he could get to his feet and make a run for the village.

It was a good plan. Too bad it failed. A claw on the monster's foot caught Cloud's shoulder and ripped a huge gash in it just as he thought he was in the clear. He yelled out, blood pouring from the wound. It was the same shoulder.

He fell. The ground hit him hard. The monster had skidded to a halt upon landing from its jump and was making its way back to the fallen fighter, a ravenous look in its shadowy eyes. Cloud pulled on the grass with his good arm, crying out again as the dirt from the ground filled his open wound. The ground under him was stained crimson, and all he could think of was Vincent.

He heard the monster's muffled footfalls coming toward him, the ground shaking under the beast's weight. He pulled himself forward. He wouldn't give up yet. The Vlakorados was getting closer. He could feel it. His blood was pumping hard, throbbing in his ears. He didn't look back. He knew where the monster was, and he knew it was giving him that odd smirk again. An 'I told you so' gesture that he didn't even need to see.

The monster loomed over him. His breathing was hard, his muscles trembling. The beast cast a giant shadow over him, and he closed his eyes. For a brief moment, he imagined Vincent coming to save him at the very last minute, like he had in the swamp. He could just hear those telltale gunshots, and the pained screech of the monster dying.

Wait.

Those _were_ gunshots he was hearing. And that _was_ the monster screaming in pain. Weakly, he opened his eyes and looked back just in time to see the Vlakorados fall, crimson blood that matched its scales gushing out of a bullet wound in its head. In a dizzy, surprised haze, Cloud turned his gaze to in front of him. His mind reeled, and a wave of vertigo seized him, causing him to let out a gasp. Right before he passed out, a scarlet cape passed over his vision, topped by long black hair.

"Vincent…" he managed, before darkness claimed him.

* * *

_Rough hands pushed him from behind, an equally rough voice telling him to hurry up. Had his hands not been bound, he would have struck back at the SOLDIER following him. The dirt floor crunched softly under his ShinRa-issued boots as he walked. The dim lighting combined with the undeniable mako atmosphere in the underground hallway made the walls seem to glow a deep purple. The air was stiff and thick, and felt hot as the young recruit breathed it in._

_He stopped at a large wooden door, knowing that the room behind it was to be his confinement for the night. It had been for a few months now. The rough hands that had pushed him earlier were now fumbling with a ring of keys, unlocking the door, and pushing him in. Once inside, the blond boy knew to stand still and wait for his hands to be untied. When his wrists were free, the wooden door was slammed behind him._

_Someone let out a breath, and caused the recruit to jump. "Ugh… Cl-Cloud?"_

_He turned around, and blue eyes widened in surprise before filling with relieved tears. Slumped in the corner of the room, beside a small cot, was someone the blond never thought he'd see again._

"_Zack…" he breathed before he fell to his knees and crawled to the SOLDIER, embracing him tightly. The older boy weakly wrapped one arm around his friend, rubbing his back slowly. "Zack… I thought you were dead…" the blond boy sobbed into Zack's shoulder._

_The SOLDIER managed a weak chuckle. "Nope, still kickin'."_

_Cloud pulled away and looked into Zack's eyes. They glowed a deep purple, much like the walls in the hallway. His eyes traveled downwards, and landed on the dirty white sling that the elder's arm was tucked into. He looked back to Zack's face. "What happened to your arm?"_

_Zack smiled slightly, his expression tired. "It's just fractured." The blond frowned in concern. "It'll be fine, kiddo." Cloud looked at the arm again. "Hey," Zack called softly. Cloud looked back at him and the SOLDIER smiled again. "C'mere. I haven't seen you in months."_

_He held his good arm out, and Cloud gladly moved closer, gingerly sitting in the older boy's lap and snuggling into his chest. He looked up when soft lips were pressed against his forehead. "Where have you been?" he asked the SOLDIER._

"_I've been here, like you. But they had me in the east wing. They're supposedly moving me down here for new experiments." The last part was spoken with disdain, and the SOLDIER frowned. "But," he began again, his tone getting lighter. "I guess they ran out of rooms, so it looks like we got lucky, huh?"_

_Cloud felt tears sting the back of his eyes. "I missed you so much," he said as a lone tear fell._

_Zack wiped it away. "I missed you too."_

_Those soft lips pressed against the recruit's, and he immediately invited the SOLDIER in. It felt so good to be kissing Zack again after nearly four months of torture disguised as "experiments". Their tongues meshed together, creating a far-from-rhythmic movement, and Cloud sighed into the older boy's mouth. Slowly they kissed, and slowly they parted. Cloud touched his lips to the SOLDIER's once before resting his forehead on Zack's, not bothering to open his eyes._

"_I love you, Zack."_

_Zack's good arm tightened a little around Cloud's waist. "I love you too, Cloud."_

* * *

**A/N:** Soooooo… how was that? I actually didn't do everything I wanted to do in this chapter, but I felt that was a good stopping point. Ah, I feel so much better now that I'm back to my old cliffhangers. Gotta love 'em. *grin*

So, I did a chapter count. Looks like there will be about 26 chapters all together, including the prologue and an epilogue. So sit back, we've got a long way to go! Okay. I actually just got this idea, see… I want to have a vote, because I can't decide… something. I won't tell you what it is. All you have to do is review, and pick yes or no. Simple, ne?

Vincent: Don't be alarmed, he does this often. He won't even tell _me_ what's going to happen.  
Omni: Well, it's more fun that way! Then you get that cute little look on your face when you're all surprised and stuff. *pinches Vinny's cheek*  
Vincent: *raises eyebrow* Right. Well I'm off to go back into hiding then.  
Omni: Have fun! ^^

So now you review, and tell me yes or no. I know, I'm evil right? Not telling you what's going on. That's all part of my master plan though… MUAHAHAHA… -_^


	16. Her Resting Place

**A/N: **Well, hello there kiddies. Been a while, ne? Well, you already have my apology from before, when I apologized ahead of time for all the times I'd be late. That still stands. *grin* But I will give you the reason it took so long. Let's just say I got distracted. And then the writer's block settled in… and then this story was forgotten for a couple… weeks. *bows* Gomen!

So, if you didn't already know, my distractions were… fruitful, let's say. I wrote a oneshot… and it's lemony with just a touch of strawberries. XD You'll get that if you read it. I also started a writing game with my wonderful friend Phoenix Noir, and that's well underway. Actually, you can thank him for this update, because without him I'd still be half buried in a writer's block. *huggles Phoenix* ^_^

Speaking of Phoenix (and I was going to do this anyway, but now I have even more of a reason to, and he knows what it is), I want to dedicate this chapter to him. I love you more than words on a screen could express, my dear. *raises non-existent wine glass* Here's to you, luv! -_^

Also, one more thing, more thank you's go my wonderful muse, Linz, 'cause she's just cool. She also nags me until I post things. XD

Now, read on!

* * *

**Chapter 15 – Her Resting Place**

"Zack…"

A pair of faded green eyes, worn from a lifetime of looking, turned to the sleeping man on the other side of the room. A body supported by old bones, also worn from a lifetime of supporting, yet still strong, lifted from its perch on a wooden stool and slowly padded across the room, toward the slumbering youth. The faded eyes settled upon a troubled face, the young man's dreamy torment clearly showing in his features. What a life this man must live, to be tortured even in his sleep.

With a short sigh, the man belonging to the old body walked across the small room to retrieve a damp cloth and a bowl of water from the nearby sink. He walked back, and sat down at the young man's side, dipping the cloth in the cool water and using it to finish cleaning the dried blood and dirt from the blond's wounds.

"Vlakorados are very dangerous monsters," the old man stated, not really talking to anyone. He pressed the cloth to one particularly large gash in the young man's shoulder, and frowned as the blond winced.

The young man's hand twitched, his fingers curling slightly and then uncurling several times, as if he were reaching for something, but couldn't quite grasp it. The old man wondered what kinds of things he might be seeing behind his eyelids. The man's green eyes drifted slowly over the younger man's upper body, examining the scars on it. He had removed the blond's shirt so he could dress the wounds, and he was starting to realize that what he was caring for wasn't the first serious wound that had been inflicted on the youth.

There was a heavy, white scar right in the middle of his abdomen, like he had been stabbed there before. Next to that, he noticed two evenly spaced, identical scars just over his right hip. They looked like claw marks. The old man sighed. The newest wounds would probably scar over and look just like those ones. His green eyes continued their exploration, and landed rather curiously on a small scar on the same shoulder he was cleaning. It was round. He lifted the cloth from the youth's skin and looked closer. A bullet wound. He sighed. Indeed, what a life this man must live.

He finished cleaning the wound and wrapped a bandage of clean cloth around it tightly. He didn't have the medical supplies to give the young man the stitches that he needed, but he could keep infection away. He was only sorry that he'd lost his Restore materia in the nearby forest surrounding his small home. For now, all he could do was wait until the man woke up.

* * *

Cloud awoke to the sound of footsteps. He cracked his eyes open slowly, and turned his head, wincing as his stiff neck protested with a crack. His vision was a bit blurry from sleep and disuse, but he could make out the figure of an older man walking around the room casually, picking things up. The swordsman furrowed his eyebrows, trying to place the man, or his surroundings; trying to remember what happened.

He turned his head back and closed his eyes, attempting to bring his right arm up to rub them. As soon as he lifted his arm past his chest, however, a scratchy cry of pain ripped through his throat as his wound was stretched. Within moments, the man was at his side, gently pulling his arm back down. Cloud's eyes opened again and he looked at the man who was arranging some cloth on a small table next to the bed. From what Cloud could see, the man had a kindly face, wrinkled in places that suggested he smiled a lot. The blond relaxed immediately. This man just gave off a vibe of comfort.

"What… happened?" Cloud asked, hesitating at the surprising sound of his own voice in the quiet room.

The man looked back to him and gently started to remove the bandages on Cloud's shoulder, obviously intending to change them. "Vlakorados," he stated simply. His voice was pleasant, and it kept Cloud from wincing at the pain of the bandages being slowly torn from his wound. "He got ya pretty good," the man said after a moment. "But I took care of 'im for ya. Yer just lucky I happened to be out with my gun, otherwise you'd be monster food by now."

In a flash, the memory of the fight flew into Cloud's mind. But… wait… Vincent was there. Vincent had shot the monster… hadn't he? Confused, Cloud turned his head to examine the man further. A red cape was wrapped around his shoulders, and grayish, black hair framed the placid face. Cloud suddenly felt like crying. Vincent hadn't even been there to save him. He turned his face away from the old man, letting out a shaky sigh to keep the tears behind his eyes, and mentally kicking himself for acting like a damsel in distress.

"What were ya doin' out there without a weapon, anyway?" the man asked as he continued to dress Cloud's wound.

Cloud waited until the threat of crying had subsided before speaking. "I was… looking for someone." He turned his head back to the man. "I need to get to Bone Village."

The man chuckled, concentrating on his work. "No you don't. Yer already there. And from the looks of you, you should know not to travel through any kinda grasslands without a weapon."

Cloud looked confused. "From the looks of me?"

The man chuckled again, still concentrating on dressing the gash in Cloud's shoulder. "Yer pretty banged up."

It was then that Cloud's brain decided to register the fact that he was shirtless, and he blushed a little. The man didn't say anything about it, and Cloud wasn't sure if he even noticed in the dim lighting of the room.

"Who were ya lookin' for?" the man inquired, getting up to put away his supplies.

Cloud gingerly sat up. "Uh… a friend of mine," he said quietly. His shoulder hurt, and he tried to recall where he last put his Restore materia.

"On the grasslands? No one goes out there. 'Cept me, of course."

Absently, Cloud touched his fingers to the new bandages. "Someone told me he'd be here." Had he gotten here before Vincent? He hoped so, but he doubted it.

The man shrugged, his back facing the swordsman. "Ain't been anyone here in… I'd say 'bout four years now. After the meteor was taken care of, this place was abandoned. I only came here to get some peace n' quiet."

Cloud sighed. Things were looking impossible. He was already over a week late in starting his search, and now, he was hurt. He resisted the urge to growl.

"So," the man said, coming back to sit on the stool next to the bed. He had a glass of water that he was slowly sipping from. "You got a name, Mr. Warrior?"

Cloud stared at the man. Mr. Warrior? "Uh… Cloud. Cloud… Strife."

The man halted his drinking quickly. "Come again?"

Cloud's brows furrowed for the umpteenth time. "Cloud Strife. Why?" Cloud asked, starting to get a little nervous about the way the man was suddenly eyeing him.

Without answering, the man quickly got up and disappeared behind a ratty old curtain that Cloud hadn't even noticed was hanging until that moment. This situation was suddenly feeling very strange. A jolt of nervousness shot through Cloud's gut.

"Truth is," came the man's muffled voice from behind the curtain. "I've been lyin' to ya."

Cloud was a little taken aback by the blunt statement. "Wha…?" he fumbled.

Out of nowhere, the barrel of a very large gun was pointed at his forehead, making him jump and scramble back to the wall, blue eyes wide in fear and confusion. The man came out from behind the curtain and laughed at Cloud's fearful expression, pulling back his extended arm and removing the gun from Cloud's face. The swordsman let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Sorry 'bout that. Closet's kind of cramped; couldn't fit me an' the gun in there at the same time." He chuckled again. Cloud didn't think it was funny, and he was about to say so, when he actually _looked_ at the gun.

He'd know that gun anywhere.

"Death Penalty…" he whispered under his breath, unable to speak any louder. His whole body was suddenly feeling the effects of various emotions, and he was extremely confused by them. His head reeled and his eyes rolled back into his head. He desperately clutched at the wall for some kind of support.

The old man stopped his chuckling and dropped the gun so he could move to catch the young blond as he nearly fell off the end of the bed. "Hey, easy there."

Cloud felt like his body had just gone numb. "How… How could… when… Vince…"

The man gently picked up Cloud's upper half and put him back on the bed, leaning him against the wall as Cloud continued to mutter in shock. The blond suddenly turned to him, a look of wild fear in his eyes. "Where did you find that?"

The old man was starting to get nervous for Cloud. This couldn't be normal behavior for anyone. "I… didn't find it. Someone gave it to me."

Confusion mixed with the fear in those fascinatingly blue eyes as they shifted sporadically around the room. "What… what did he look like?"

Satisfied that Cloud would support his own bodyweight, the man rubbed his stubbly chin. "Well, he was tall… probably 'bout 6 feet or so. Messy, black hair. Kinda pale. Big red cloak, like mine, only… well, bigger. Came here 'bout a week ago."

Cloud looked at the man, eyes unexplainably fearful again. "…And the gun?"

"Well," the man began, sitting down on the stool stiffly, betraying his agedness. "He said he was bein' followed. Told me to take the gun and give it to someone named Cloud Strife—that'd be you."

Cloud looked annoyed. "I know that."

Shrugging, the man continued. "And then he took off. Said he was goin' to 'her resting place'… whatever that means. I told 'im he could rest here if he wanted, but he just disappeared into the Sleeping Forest."

The swordsman looked horrified. "And you _let_ him!"

"He didn't really look like the kinda guy I'd wanna argue with. 'Sides, the forest had no reaction to him."

The confusion returned to the younger man's face. "No… reaction? Did he have the harp?"

The old man looked at Cloud as if he had no idea what he was talking about.

"The Lunar Harp?"

The man looked thoughtful. "He didn't have nothin'. 'Cept another gun."

Cloud visibly relaxed. A little. At least Vincent wasn't unarmed. Idly, Cloud wondered which other gun he had with him… and why exactly he could travel through the enchanted forest so easily without the harp that was supposedly the only key to taming the magical trees.

"Oh!"

Cloud jumped, startled by the old man's outburst. He watched as the man leapt to his feet and rushed to the mysterious closet for the second time. His muffled voice came from behind the ratty curtain, "I just remembered I had this! Now where could it be…?"

Blue eyes narrowed as he watched the curtain waft slightly, affected by the movements of the man behind it. He hoped it wasn't going to be another gun.

"Ah hah!" came the triumphant cry as the man returned. Nope, no gun. He held in his hand an X-Potion. Cloud took it when it was offered to him, and looked up at the old man. "I keep it for emergencies," he said. "I've had it so long that I forgot it was in there." He smiled kindly. "It'll heal your shoulder."

Thanking him, Cloud drank the potion quickly, trying to avoid as much of the bitter taste as possible. He wished someone would invent healing potions that actually _tasted good._ He felt it working on his insides immediately, a purple, sparkling mist swirling around him for a minute before disappearing. Tentatively, Cloud tried moving his arm around, and he felt no pain. With a smile, he pulled the blood-soaked bandages off his shoulder.

The old man smiled. "There, right as rain, huh?"

Cloud nodded. "Thank you."

"So," the man started, sitting down again. "I guess that plane out there is yours, huh?"

Cloud looked up at him quickly. "Plane?"

"Yep. Quite a beauty she is. Where'd ya pick her up?"

Again, Cloud was confused. This man seemed like he just knew too much. "It was… a gift. From a friend." For a moment, Cloud frowned as Cid popped into his head. But he thankfully avoided the thoughts when the man spoke again.

"Mighty nice gift. She moves great too."

Anger picked at the swordsman's mind. "You flew my plane?" he asked accusingly.

The man held his hands up. "Hey now, killer, I didn't fly it. I figured it might be yours, so I just moved it closer to the village. It's right on the outskirts of town."

Well, at least Cloud wouldn't have to navigate the grasslands again to get to it. He mumbled a "thanks" before falling silent again. This was a lot to wake up to. For a brief moment, right before he'd passed out in the grasslands, he thought he might have been getting close. It felt like Vincent was standing right in front of him, but every time Cloud reached out for him, he would take a step backwards, so that he was _just_ out of the ex-SOLDIER's range. Cloud's pessimistic side wondered if Vincent would ever be within reach again.

The man watched Cloud closely, studying him. He certainly was strange. He wondered if the young blond regularly just drifted in and out of alertness. It was a tad unnerving. "So," he started, attempting to relieve the tension that had settled in the room from the silence. Cloud looked up at him, mildly startled out of his reverie. "Where y'all goin'?"

For a second, Cloud wasn't sure whom the man was referring to. His face must have shown his uncertainty, because the man rushed to clarify. "You and Mr. Tall-dark-and-scary."

A slight pang of hurt twisted through Cloud's heart. He sighed. "I'm the one who's following him."

It was the old man's turn to look confused. "You're following him and he wanted to give you his gun? That makes no sense."

_None of this makes any sense,_ Cloud thought. In response, he simply shrugged and stared at the floor. He wished he knew what was going on. But the only way to know was to find Vincent. He suddenly looked up at the man, who jumped from the abrupt movement. "Where did you say he was going?" The man looked unsure. Cloud understood his apprehension immediately. "I'm not out to hurt him or anything."

The old man eyed him suspiciously, disbelieving.

With a sigh, Cloud decided he had to elaborate if he wanted answers. "We're lovers. We… fought, and I'm only trying to make things right between us."

"By chasin' him all over the place?" the man asked. "Doesn't seem normal."

Cloud looked at him, his eyes pleading. "We're… not really all that normal."

The man sighed. "I guess not."

The blond watched the man expectantly. Finally, he gave in. "He didn't say exactly where he was goin'. Just said he was goin' to 'her resting place'. Sounds like a graveyard or somethin' but there ain't no graveyards anywhere near here."

Cloud thought for a moment, before his eyes widened. _Her_ resting place. He was in Bone Village… right next to the Forgotten City. "Aeris," he whispered.

"Hmm?" the man asked.

Cloud looked at him. "N—nothing." He stood. "I… need to get going. Thank you for all your help."

With the man's assistance, Cloud gathered his things—shirt, gun—and started for the door. He reached out to turn the handle, but stopped himself and faced the man again. "I never got your name."

"Oh!" the man exclaimed, slapping his forehead. "I completely forgot! How rude of me." He reached to shake Cloud's hand, gripping it tightly. "I'm Arnold. But I go by Arnie."

"Well… Arnie," Cloud started, pulling his hand away. "Thank you."

"Yer very welcome. Mind those Vlakorados now. And… tell that guy I said hi. Hope ya find what yer lookin' for," Arnie said with a smile. Cloud just nodded and left, wanting to avoid any further discussion about Vincent.

He found his plane just outside the village. It was dark out, so he made his way to the Bronco quickly. Carefully, he climbed in and tucked Death Penalty safely under the pilot's seat. The plane roared to life as he went through the start-up process and took off. The ride was short—not even fifteen minutes had passed and he was landing just outside the entrance to the City of the Ancients.

The air was thick, as it had always been, seemingly allowing anyone who entered the city to simply _breathe_ the knowledge of the Ancients. A strange feeling settled in the pit of Cloud's stomach. This place…

With a shaky breath, the swordsman headed down the center path, Death Penalty clutched tightly in his hand. Even the dirt roads seemed to be brimming with Ancient knowledge. He felt like he should be walking gingerly, so as not to crush anything important under his heavy boots. The last thing he wanted was to disturb anything in such a sacred place.

It made his heart ache, knowing what had happened here… who was resting here. Though, he was sure by now that Aeris had returned to the planet. He had stopped hearing her voice long ago, and he assumed that she was at peace. He was happy she could rest, but that didn't mean that he wouldn't love to hear her voice again.

He was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn't even realize that he had reached the small body of water where so much had transpired. A flash of moonlight reflecting off the water's surface caught his eye though, and he stopped walking to stare at the small lake, a mix of sadness and longing caught in his expression. She was here. And for the first time in a couple of years, he really missed her.

He sat at the water's edge, small waves lapping at the dirt under his legs. Reverently, he touched his fingertips to the cool water, and for a second, he thought he could see her face, smiling at him.

He didn't feel like smiling though. He pulled his hand back and rested it on Death Penalty, which was in his lap. He wondered why Vincent had left it for him. Was it some kind of symbol? Cloud sighed sadly. He was holding one of Vincent's most treasured possessions. Perhaps, it was meant to signify that Vincent had let go of it… letting Cloud go too.

No. Cloud shook his head. Vincent wouldn't let him go. They were supposed to be together forever. They belonged to each other. Cloud refused to believe that Vincent would just drop him. But then… why was he holding the gun? Would Vincent really just leave his two most beloved possessions to sit by an ancient lake, mourning their loss? Cloud wanted to think that Vincent cared. He wanted to think that Vincent was here, waiting to be found. But somehow, he highly doubted that was the case.

Perhaps Vincent had meant for Cloud to do something with Death Penalty. Maybe something he couldn't do himself. Cloud furrowed his brow and examined the gun, trying to think of what it could do. It was just a gun. All guns do is shoot.

Shoot. Guns shoot. Cloud's eyes widened, tears forming around the oceanic depths. Guns are meant to be shot. Cloud knew this from… experience. As a tear slipped from his eye, he held the gun up. Perhaps Vincent wanted Cloud to finish what he had started and couldn't finish himself.

Maybe Vincent wanted Cloud to turn the gun on himself.

But why? Cloud clutched the gun, clinging to it like it would give him answers if he hugged it hard enough. Had Vincent meant to give Cloud some kind of message? 'Here Cloud, take my gun so you can put yourself out of your own misery.' Was he that angry? Cloud still didn't even know what had made Vincent so angry. He didn't know why Vincent would want him dead.

A throaty cry escaped him as he collapsed on the gun, hunched over it as he sobbed all his frustrations into it, begging it to tell him at least what it was he had done to deserve it. The water from the lake splashed gently on the tips of his boots almost sympathetically, seemingly trying to comfort him as he broke down. Was that what Vincent wanted? Cloud tried to think of another reason Vincent would leave the gun for him. _Any_ reason. Briefly, he considered the option that it was like the last time Vincent had left him the gun. But his mind immediately nixed that idea. Last time, it was for protection when he was weaponless. He had his sword on him. No, it wasn't meant for protection this time.

The swordsman sniffed, wiping his eyes and staring blankly into the clear lake in front of him. The water offered no answers, only the understanding licks at his boots. He felt alone. Even in a place filled with the spirits of those passed, he simply felt alone.

Without even realizing it, he found that his feet had carried him to the giant shell house next to the lake. He lazily climbed the spiraling structure, up to the top tier, where a single bed had been placed. He collapsed on the small cot, still clutching Death Penalty and his eyes still producing useless tears. After a few minutes, his sorrow consumed him, and he drifted into an uneasy slumber, pressing Vincent's gun as close to his chest as possible.

* * *

**A/N:** Woot! 'Nother chapter done! Yeah, I did that thing again… the one where I just keep rambling on and on and I don't accomplish what I want to accomplish… thus adding _another_ chapter to the growing chapter count. What am I at now… 28? Something like that.

So anyway. Did anyone get the reference with the scar in Cloud's stomach? Hint: Think of what REALLY happened at Nibelheim. ^_^

So, I've taken count for the vote, and 'yes' won. Little did you all know, but you just decided how the story will end. I was bouncing between a couple of ideas, and I couldn't decide, so I decided to let you decide. ^_^ So yay for story endings!

*changes clothes into review-begging-ritual costume* *grabs Vincent and starts dancing*

Vincent: Gah! Review and make him stop this madness! *gets bounced around the room*


	17. Those Crimson Eyes

**A/N: **Woot! I updated quicker this time! Yay me! It's a little shorter than usual, but I really wanted to get this chapter out _tonight_.

Sooo… anyone play Prince of Persia? Anyone notice that the newest PoP game is called "The Warrior Within"? XD I just realized that like… last week. And here I thought I was being all creative and stuff with my title. Maybe I should call and complain that they stole my title, and then make them pay royalties. XD Yeah, like that would work.

This chapter is dedicated (again) to Phoenix Noir, because he's at Ozzfest, and I wish I was there too. So I thought I'd give… him… a… present?

Yeah, I don't understand my logic either. XD Mucho to you, Phoenix. ^^

By the way, I don't own the song "Ghost of You and Me" by BBMak. If you know the song, you'll know why I'm disclaiming it. I also still do not own these loverly characters, although, I am totally open to accepting them from anyone who wants to give them to me. *grin*

* * *

**Chapter 16 – Those Crimson Eyes**

_It was odd, down there. A huge contrast to the upper half of the Ancient City. The air seemed to be nonexistent, but still thick in his lungs. He breathed steadily, trying to quiet his nerves. The long glowing staircase lay before him, twisting and winding around into a depth that he could just barely discern as another city._

_But it was different. This city had actual buildings, and he tried to observe them as he started down the staircase. It seemed peaceful; the quietness of the place surrounding him and wrapping him up like a mother wraps a blanket around her child. But among the silent stillness, he still could feel something wrong._

_She was down there; he knew she was. They were connected with more than just the bonds of two people protecting each other. They were connected through their love for one another, and somehow, it made him able to simply _sense_ her presence. He had the feeling that she could sense him too._

_The staircase was long. As his feet made contact with each step, he found himself taking a small breath of relief, for it didn't seem that the stairs were actually real, just a cluster of light that resembled a stair. His apprehension eased with each step as he realized that the stairs were, indeed, solid. His pace quickened with this realization, and he soon found himself nearing the bottom, approaching the city that was much larger than it had seemed before._

_The buildings loomed over him, towering but not in a threatening way. They seemed almost… protective, rather than ominous. It comforted him, if only a little._

_He wasn't sure where to go. The stairs had left off at the back of a door-less building, which he entered and walked through. When he exited through the front of the building, he looked around quickly. He was on a platform that had a small staircase leading to another platform, which in turn led to yet another platform. When his eyes found the third platform, they locked onto what he had been searching for, and he started immediately down the first staircase to the second landing._

_He was overjoyed to have found her again. He made his way to her quickly, unable to contain his excitement. He ignored the strange feeling lurking in his gut, too happy to be worrying about premonitions._

"_Aeris!" he called, jumping from the second platform to the third. She didn't move. He stopped at the edge of the third landing, observing her. Her hands were clasped in front of her, her head bowed in meditation. Her pale pink dress crumpled neatly at her bent knees, on which she kneeled in prayer. He watched her with a small smile on his lips, admiring her ethereal beauty and her otherworldly aura as she prayed to her ancestors._

"_Aeris," he whispered, not wanting to startle her out of her reverie. She looked up then, her emerald eyes meeting his sapphire ones, and for a moment, he had a sense of complete peace._

_Suddenly, a bright light shown from above them, glaring down on him and making him squint and raise his arm to shield his vision. From what he could see, her expression hadn't changed. She stared at him, as if nothing could possibly hurt her. It only made his bad feeling intensify. He tried to call out to her, but his voice didn't want to work. His body didn't want to move, and all he could do was watch as a huge dark shadow overcame them both, descending rapidly._

_It took a moment for him to realize what it was, and he tried desperately to move toward her when he recognized the luminous figure. Her expression remained unchanged, just as peaceful as it had been all along, as the black-clad figure came down on her._

_Finally, he regained control of his body. "Aeris!" he screamed, but it was too late as he flung himself at her._

_There was a sickening slicing noise, just as the tip of a bloody blade poked out through her stomach. He watched in horror as her body fell forward on it, crimson colored blood pooling around her knees. With a curt laugh, the blade's owner pulled back his sword, the slicing sound repeating as it moved out of her body._

"_Cloud…" she whispered, her body starting to fall to the floor of the platform. He rushed forward to catch her, tears stinging his eyes._

"_No… Aeris…" he said quietly as he held her. He hugged her gently to his chest. "I love you."_

_She looked up at him one last time, the green in her eyes starting to fade. "I love you too," she whispered, right before she died in his arms._

* * *

A pair of eyes settled on the blond soldier sleeping uneasily. Those eyes had watched him since he entered the sacred city, following his every movement, his every footstep, and now they were there, watching him sleep. The owner of the eyes observed pensively, apprehensively, wondering why he felt the need to be there. He knew he was feeling protective, but he was too stubborn to admit it. Cloud just brought that out in him, regardless of how angry with him he was.

Those eyes bore an odd mix of emotions. Worry over what the young swordsman could possibly be experiencing in his sleep, anxiousness over just being in the same room as him, but mostly a hatred that seemed almost hesitant to show itself. There was no excuse for what Cloud had done to him. Nor was there an excuse for how he blatantly denied it when faced with the issue. Not when he'd been actually caught in the act.

To think, Cloud had the gall to play stupid when it was obvious what had been going on in that bathroom. And now he was on this stupid mission to search for his lost lover. It was pathetic, really.

But Vincent just couldn't bring himself to walk away.

It would be hard for anyone to just leave after three years of absolute bliss. After three years of incredible love. After three years of faithfulness. Well, one of them had been faithful at least. He shook his head a little. This thought pattern was almost unbearable for him, running in circles, and always landing in the same spot.

But then he had to think about how he _should_ be concentrating on that one event. It would do them no good if he just forgave Cloud, went running back into his arms, back into his bed. Cloud would surely do it again. Once a cheater, always a cheater.

That's what Vincent kept telling himself.

Cloud was tossing around on the small cot now. The concealed man wondered what he was dreaming about. It was true that Cloud had experienced real horrors in his lifetime. Vincent had too. So he understood what Cloud must have been going through.

No, stay focused. He wasn't sure why he was there. He needed to get away from Cloud, but he couldn't bring himself to do it. He needed to get to his destination, needed to carry out his plan. He needed to follow his orders.

He briefly wondered what had made him decide to follow those orders. He wondered when it had become okay with him to take orders from people he knew he had won over years ago. True, they had been above him in rank at one point, but he'd changed that by killing them.

At that moment, for the first time, Vincent realized that that fact no longer disturbed him.

He had killed all three of them, in one way or another, and yet they were all there, and he was following them. Perhaps he was seeking revenge. On what or whom, he was unsure. For simplicity's purposes, he decided that he wanted revenge on Cloud. Yes, that was why he was doing as he was doing. He wanted revenge on Cloud. It didn't even occur to him that he _might_ be simply rationalizing to avoid the truth, protecting himself from what he knew deep in his subconscious to be real.

Cloud thrashed once, and whimpered. The man in the shadows quickly tossed his gaze back to the swordsman. A quick pang of sympathy had him quietly creeping toward the sleeping man, intending to touch him gently and wrap him in his arms like he had so many times before. He stepped out of the shadows, but stopped abruptly, cursing himself for giving in to familiarity. He was not here to simply forgive and forget. He was here to make his ex-lover suffer.

For a moment, he was caught in confusion, torn between what he would have done, and what he wanted to do. His eyes traveled up and down the length of Cloud's trembling body, that same odd mix of emotion glowing through the scarlet irises.

"What am I supposed to do, Cloud?" he whispered. Quietly, hesitantly, he stepped up to the side of the cot and knelt on the floor, just within reach of the younger man. Now that he was closer, he observed Cloud's features more carefully, taking in the lost and slightly painful expression on his face. For a brief moment, he felt a deep longing, an intense desire to scoop him up and kiss away everything that was wrong. His fingers itched to run through that delicate blond hair, but he restrained himself, telling himself that his orders were more important—his _pain_ was more important.

"What am I supposed to do?" he repeated, settling himself down on his knees. "You haunt me, Cloud. You're everywhere I go, no matter what I do."

Naturally, he got no answer from the younger man. He sighed softly, gazing silently at Cloud for a moment, before letting his eyes wander. They settled on a small candle on a table at the foot of the bed. He wondered who had lit it. This place was full of mysteries.

The candle, being nearly burned to the bottom, flickered slightly in the tiny breeze that blew in from a small hole in the wall of the shell-house. Vincent watched it as the flame danced a little, before being snuffed out by the moving air. Oddly, he found that it resembled himself, so fragile and vulnerable to the slightest change in events, enough that he could go from light to dark in a the blink of an eye.

His eyes drifted back to Cloud. There was a light sheen of sweat forming on his forehead, and he was still trembling. Vincent again felt that familiar longing to hold him, but he wouldn't allow himself to give in. He couldn't.

But how he longed to. He slowly inched closer to the side of the bed, bracing his weight on his hand. As he grabbed the wooden frame, his fingers lightly brushed Cloud's arm, and he couldn't help the sudden wave of heat that traveled through his body. This frustration hurt him, made his heart ache for times when things were easier, simpler.

"Why can't I let go?" he whispered as he eased himself down to the floor, crossing his legs in front of him. "When will we wake up from this nightmare?"

Cloud sighed shakily, letting Vincent know that whatever he was dreaming of was making him very emotional. He wondered if Cloud was seeing him.

Sitting there, staring at the one person he truly loved, was making him feel lightheaded, all the emotions balling up in his heart and nearly strangling him. He felt his chin quiver, felt tears sting the back of his eyes. He felt like he was being slowly killed, having to sit here and watch what he was forcing himself to give up. But then, he supposed that was his own fault.

A tear slowly slipped from the corner of Cloud's eye, and before he could stop himself, Vincent reached to wipe it away. As soon as his fingers made contact with Cloud's milky skin, he wrenched in a breath, feeling as though he hadn't touched the soft flesh in decades. His fingers moved of their own accord and slid up into that remarkably soft hair, the light-colored spikes slipping blissfully through his fingers. Cloud unconsciously leaned into the touch, and Vincent's heart jumped in his chest. He drew in a shaky breath and clenched his eyes shut, trying to will himself to feel any sort of hostility toward the younger man. It wasn't working.

Cloud shifted, causing Vincent to jump a little, his eyes opening quickly to make sure the swordsman was still asleep. He let out a sigh upon seeing that he was. His fingers continued their subconscious twirling of Cloud's hair as his eyes roamed over the angelic face, still troubled from whatever nightmare he was having. Vincent couldn't help the overwhelming despair that filled his heart.

"I didn't mean to fall in love with you, Cloud," he whispered as he set his forehead down on the mattress next to Cloud's hand. "You have no idea what I'm going through."

"No…" Cloud whispered, almost as if he'd heard the gunman's hushed statement. Vincent's head shot up, his whole body tensing, ready to bolt if Cloud was awake, but the swordsman's eyelids still covered his eyes, clamped shut a little tighter than normal. Vincent sighed again. He still felt like he shouldn't be there.

But at the same time, he felt that he _needed_ to be there. He huffed out a breath, frustrated, and pulled at his hair with his metallic arm. "Why can't you set me free, Cloud? Why can't I let go?" He regarded the blond, crimson eyes turning skeptical. "I'm only trying to save what's left of my soul. Why can't you let me do that? It's your fault, Cloud… It's all your fault…"

Closing his eyes once more, he took a deep breath, to steady himself, then pulled his hand out of Cloud's hair. He stood quietly, intending to simply leave, but Cloud suddenly murmured something that caught his attention.

"Aeris…"

Immediately, Vincent knew what Cloud was dreaming of, and it made sense, considering their location. He truly did sympathize with Cloud now. He was there on that fateful day, he had watched what happened. Once more, he knelt next to Cloud's head and leaned over him. Briefly, he brushed his lips over the younger man's forehead.

When he pulled back, he couldn't move his eyes from Cloud's face. "What we had Cloud… it wasn't love," he said as he stood. An icy expression formed on the pale gunner's face. "It was robbery." Gracefully, he reached for the tattered bottom of his cape and ripped a strip of red fabric from it. Without a sound, he slipped the cloth around the barrel of Death Penalty, which Cloud still clung to almost desperately, and tied it there. Cloud would know he had been there, but he didn't care.

He silently stepped back, away from the sleeping man. "You took everything from me, Cloud. But I think I gave it to you freely, for the most part. And now…" Red eyes traveled once more over Cloud's figure. "Now, I'm not sure if I want it all back." As he stepped further back, he tossed one last glance at his former lover before quietly slipping out of the building, leaving Cloud to his dreams. He didn't notice that just as he left, Cloud stirred slightly and a single word fell from his trembling lips.

"Vincent…"

* * *

Perhaps it was the small bit of light that woke him. It might have been the deafening silence. Glowing blue eyes flew open, as if they had been trapped somewhere and had just been freed. Cloud sat up quickly, feeling like he hadn't seen the waking world in far too long. His body ached from sleeping on an uncomfortable surface and from being so tense all night. These dreams were getting to be a constant occurrence, and he didn't like them. He didn't like the realism of the dreams, and he most certainly didn't like the feeling of loss and emptiness he always woke up with afterwards.

His past just would not leave him be.

What bothered him most, was the fact that he always dreamed of real events. When had it started? Ah yes, with his mother. The last time he ever saw her as she was. The last time she was really his mother. At least he'd been able to say goodbye to her. And he'd dreamt of Zack too. Many of his memories from the five years spent in the basement of the Shinra Mansion had been lost to him—whether it was from insignificance, or from that wondrous little human defense mechanism called mental blocking—but some of the more important memories had forever been burned into his mind. Seeing Zack for the first time in months was as painful as it was joyous.

But this last dream… it was so close… and it didn't help that he was in the very city where the event had taken place. No matter how much he tried to forget the details—the blood, the sounds, the smells—they would never leave him. Never.

He rubbed his eyes, fighting off a yawn. What he wouldn't give to be at home, snuggling into a broad chest, strong arms wrapped around him as they both clung to the dream world for just a few minutes longer. Where had that gone?

With a despaired sigh, Cloud shifted to swing his legs over the edge of the bed. He lay one hand on Death Penalty, to keep it in his lap. Tiredly, he observed his surroundings, lazily noting the bluish hue that bathed the walls, making the place look as though it was only being lit by moonlight, even during the day. It certainly was a mysterious city.

He was exhausted. His mind was tired, his body was more tired. He thought about where he should go next, and he realized he didn't have a clue where to search. The old man, what was his name? Arnie. Arnie had told him that Vincent was going here. Well, he hadn't exactly said he would be _here_, but this made the most sense. But Vincent wasn't here. That much was plain to see.

He closed his eyes and lowered his head, feeling his neck muscles strain with the motion. It hurt, but it felt good too. He needed to move. Opening his eyes, he made to get up but—

"What's that?" he asked aloud. His body suddenly awake, he grabbed for the piece of red that had caught his eye. It looked like… it couldn't be…

Quickly, his fingers untied the strip of cloth, running it over his fingertips disbelievingly. He stared at it, blue eyes wide in confusion, in happiness, in pain.

Vincent had been there.

Cloud stood up, clutching the cloth in one hand and the gun in the other. "Vincent?"

No answer.

He walked down the terraced building. "Vincent!"

He was running now. When had that started? He didn't care. He burst out of the building, into the clearing with the lake, slightly out of breath. "Vince!"

His only answer was the stillness of the ancient trees. He waited a few more minutes, hopeful, but nothing stirred. The lake water didn't even ripple. Everything looked as if time itself had simply stopped in its tracks.

He dropped to his knees, his arms falling limp. Death Penalty landed on the ground with a soft thud, muffled by the dirt. Hope seemed to be fading with each second.

He knew he should have gotten up. He knew that sitting on the ground and moping was not doing him any good as far as time went. Did it matter though? Vincent was probably long gone. Why had he been there? Why hadn't Cloud woken up? Even if he opened his eyes just in time to see a flutter of that crimson cape… that would have been enough to spur him on. But he completely missed the person he was so desperately searching for because of his own obliviousness, and it pissed him off.

His hand clenched into a fist around the strip of cloth, and with all his strength, he punched the sandy ground under him, letting out a loud and frustrated groan. He didn't let up either, instead digging his fist into the sand. The grains scratched his knuckles, rubbing them raw, but he didn't care. He rather felt like he deserved a bit of pain in exchange for his own stupidity.

Could he ever do anything right? Perhaps that twisted scientist had been right all those years ago… Hojo had told him he was just a failed experiment. Worthless. He was sure feeling it now. It didn't matter that he'd saved the world. If he couldn't even save himself enough to in turn save his most precious relationship, then he didn't feel like he deserved to be worth anything anyway.

Eventually, his anger faded, and he released the tension in his arm, pulling his hand out of the small hole he had made. His knuckles were bleeding a little bit, and the cuts were covered in sand. For a moment he debated with himself over how much he cared about the wellbeing of his hand, before deciding that he might as well clean it up. It was his sword hand, and he couldn't very well expect to protect himself if he couldn't use his good hand. He _could_ fight with his left hand, but he didn't like to as long as he could avoid it.

With melancholy movements, he stood and bent over the lakeshore, dipping his hand in the cool water and rinsing it off. With a sigh, he gazed at the rippling reflection of his face in the water. He was pretty sure it was just the odd coloring of his surroundings, but he noticed that he looked paler than usual. Well, he supposed it would make sense. He'd been so into his "mission" that he had neglected to take care of himself.

_Perhaps I should start doing that,_ he thought, a slight scowl crossing his features. He stood, and headed back into the shell-house to get the rest of his things. He snagged Death Penalty on the way in and tucked it under his arm so he could tie the piece of cloth around his wrist. He wanted all the pieces of Vincent he could carry with him. They let him know that there might still be a little bit of a chance that Vincent hadn't quite given up completely just yet.

As he disappeared into the house, he didn't notice the pair of ever-watchful eyes following his every movement, just like they had since he had first walked into the city.

* * *

**A/N: **Woooo! Vinny came back! Kind of. He wasn't actually supposed to make an appearance until a few chapters from now, but I missed him, so I figured he should make a little bit of an appearance just to ensure you all that he is, indeed, still alive.

And, if he seemed a little OOC, that was absolutely intentional. He's slowly going insane, folks. Wouldn't you if you were being followed around by people you already killed? I would. .

So, now's the time to make an author happy. Donate a review. It's for a good cause. *grin*


	18. Dreaming of You

**A/N:** Well hello, kiddies! Yeah… I know… "ZOMG WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN!" I was… um… yeah, I really have no good excuse for why it took so long. All I can say is sorry for the wait. So. In case any of you are like me, and you forget what's going on in a story because it hasn't been updated in forever and you just have so many different stories swimming around in your brains… here's a quick recap of the last few chapters:

Cid decides he likes Cloud. Cloud starts his journey to find Vincent. He gets attacked outside of Bone Village by some monster thing. An old dude named Arnie takes care of him. He goes to the Forgotten City because Arnie says he saw Vincent and he said he was going there. Vincent left Death Penalty for Cloud, and Cloud gets angsty about it. After staying the night in the Forgotten City, Cloud wakes up and finds that Vincent had been there.

Yay. You're all caught up. Now. I want to tell everyone that I have been on a real huge Kingdom Hearts 2 kick lately, and I've been playing it, and reading lots of stories about it, so I found that it kind of snuck into my writing. So, do forgive Cloud's little Axel-moment. I couldn't help it. 'Kay. Now on with the story-ness.

* * *

**Chapter 17 – Dreaming of You**

"Captain!"

Shera heard a thud and winced, just as a string of curses wafted out from underneath the small aircraft sitting in the yard. A golden head emerged, followed by the rest of Cid's body as he pushed himself into the open air.

"What the hell do ya want?" he asked grumpily as he stood, rubbing his head where he'd bumped it. His face and hands were smeared with oil, and Shera had to suppress a smile despite the Captain's obvious anger at being disturbed.

"You have a phone call."

"Can't ya tell 'em to leave a message or somethin'? I'm busy." Even as he spoke, he was wiping his hands and walking toward the house.

"She said it was urgent."

Cid raised a skeptical eyebrow at the rocket scientist before stepping past her and into his kitchen where the phone awaited him on the table.

"Highwind, here," he said, cradling the phone between his cheek and his shoulder as he walked to the sink to rinse the remaining engine oil from his hands.

"Cid! Oh good, you're home!"

The Captain straightened immediately, catching the phone before it fell from his shoulder. "Tifa? Why're _you_ callin' me?"

"Because," came the woman's reply. She sounded frantic. "Cloud's missing! I was taking care of him, and he just disappeared! You haven't seen him have you? I've called everyone else and no one has seen him anywhere."

'_Taking care of him'? What the hell is that supposed to mean?_ Cid's brow furrowed in concern. Had something happened to Cloud? "Why were ya takin' care of 'im?" Cid asked, suddenly feeling a bit of dread creep into his gut.

"He… uh… Well, he was… um…"

"Spit it out, girl." He heard a sigh on the other end of the receiver.

"Well, I suppose I should probably start from the beginning. Now, prepare yourself, Cid. This may come as a shock, but…" Another sigh. "Cloud and Vincent have been… seeing each other… as in dating."

"Yeah," he said disinterestedly. "What's your point?"

"You… Cid, did you know?" Tifa sounded a little shocked. For some reason, Cid wanted to laugh at her. However, he resisted.

"Yeah. I knew."

There was a slight pause. And then, "Oh."

Cid felt the laughter bubble again, but kept it at bay. "What does that have to do with you takin' care of the kid?"

Tifa sighed again. Cid was starting to get frustrated with her. "Well… Vincent… walked out on Cloud, and he was devastated, and depressed, and… I just needed to take care of him, okay?" At the last part of her explanation, her voice turned defensive. The Captain was getting tired of hearing information he already knew.

"Anyway, he just disappeared, about three weeks ago. You haven't seen him, have you?"

Cid's eyebrow rose again. He debated on whether or not he should tell Tifa that Cloud had been with him. He debated for two reasons, the first being the fact that he was _sure_ that if Cloud had wanted to get away from Tifa, then he must have done so for a reason; the second being the fact that he knew Tifa was head over heels in love with the blond swordsman—had been for years—and the pilot was slightly jealous that he could possibly have some competition for the ex-SOLDIER's affections. When that thought crossed his mind, he mentally slapped himself. He _knew_ he shouldn't be thinking along those lines… but he just couldn't help it.

"Cid? Are you still there?"

Cid started, turning his attention back to his current problem. He decided to play the innocence card… and lie his ass off. "Um, yeah, sorry." He cleared his throat. "Uh, nah, I haven't seen 'im. Not since that party ya threw 'im."

"Oh," Tifa said, sounding extremely disappointed. "Well… keep an eye out, will you? I don't know what I'd do if something happened to him."

_Me either,_ Cid thought. "Yeah, will do. Is that all?"

Tifa paused again. "And… keep an eye out for Vincent too, okay? No one's seen him either… I… just have a bad feeling."

Cid swallowed, his heart sinking as he thought about the gunman. Technically, he was competition too. He winced. _Damnit, Highwind. Cut the shit! That's not what ya should be thinkin' about!_

"Cid? You okay?"

The Captain cleared his throat again. "Uh, yeah. Yeah I'm fine. I'll look… for Vincent too. See ya, Tifa."

"Thanks, Cid. Bye."

The pilot hung up the phone and slumped down into a chair at the table, resting his head on the cool surface of the wood. He gave a great sigh, and closed his eyes.

"Man, I gotta get over this. It's just never gonna happen."

"You really like him, don't you?"

Cid jumped at the sound of Shera's voice, straightening to look at her as his cheeks heated. The brunette scientist frowned and sat at the table too, right next to Cid, and placed a hand on the pilot's shoulder. Cid relaxed a little, which seemed to cause some kind of barrier to be let down as he frowned deeply as well.

"I'm worried about 'im."

"Captain," Shera started quietly, averting her eyes. "What… what happened to Cloud? Really. Why did he seem so depressed when he was here?"

Cid sighed and stared at the patterns of the wood on the table. "Him an' Vince were involved, ya know?" The last part was meant as an inquiry as to whether or not the woman understood his meaning, and she nodded to show her comprehension.

"Well… I'm not sure exactly what happened, but I guess they got in a big fight and Vince walked out. From what I can tell, Cloud ain't got a clue as to why Vince is so mad, so he went out to find 'im."

Shera sat still, listening quietly, turning everything over in her head. That was why Cloud needed to learn to fly. She looked at Cid and noticed that he still seemed like he had something to say. She had known him too long to not be able to read his face. "What else?"

The Captain looked at her, sadness swirling around in his blue eyes. He was very close with Shera—they were like siblings, best friends—and he knew he could trust her with anything, even his sexuality, which she'd known about for years. But somehow, admitting his feelings for Cloud to her made him apprehensive.

"Captain, I know you care for him. I could see it in your actions."

Cid sighed and traced a swirl of wood design on the table with his finger. "Yer right. I like him. But I feel so damn guilty for liking 'im because I know he gave 'is heart away a long time ago." He sat back in his chair, staring at the ceiling with unfocused eyes. "I can't help wonderin' where he is… if he's okay. That's the good part of me thinkin' that. Then I got this naggin' little voice in the back of my head tellin' me that I should be happy that Vince is outta the picture now… that now is my chance ta get what I want. But I know that would be bad for him… and… ugh!" Frustratedly, he buried his face in his hands and rested his elbows on the table, taking a deep breath.

Shera listened quietly, having learned long ago to just let the pilot spill his guts with no interruptions. She was glad for this, because she wasn't sure if she could really say anything to make him feel better.

Cid raised his head again and focused on the far wall of the kitchen. "Now… he's been gone for nine days, in a plane he just barely knows how ta fly, lookin' for someone who obviously doesn't wanna be found, and I'm sittin' here, pining away for somethin' I'll never have… somethin' I _shouldn't_ have. An' still, I want him. An' I feel like shit because I want him. I feel like a damn selfish bastard." The Captain sighed, staring back down at the table. "I even kissed 'im. I went in ta ask 'im if he was okay, and he just looked so sad, and I couldn't stop myself. An' I didn't think at all about what he would feel… and I know that was what made him leave."

He suddenly turned to Shera, locking eyes with her. "I scared 'im off. I scared 'im away because I was too damn heartless to think about him before myself."

Shera just watched her Captain, gazing softly at him as the frame of his body slumped in misery. Really, she was awed, and quite moved by his words. Rarely did he let himself be so open, even with her, and in the back of her mind, she was thankful it _was_ her he felt he could confide in.

Cid rubbed his eyes with the heels of his palms, inhaling deeply through his nose and letting the air out through his mouth. "Thanks, Sher," he said quietly without looking up. The scientist smiled softly, and rubbed his shoulder gently in comfort. She only wished she could do something to make his pain go away.

Without a word—because neither person felt the need for more talking; enough had been said already—Shera stood and crossed the room, intending to make her Captain a cup of tea, just as a small bit of consolation, which Cid greatly appreciated even if he didn't quite show it. But he knew he didn't need to, because he knew that Shera knew. They just simply understood each other. He found a little bit of comfort in that fact alone. He really could trust her with anything.

He was just so frustrated over his own emotions. There was no denying how he felt about Cloud, but he severely disliked the guilt that came with those feelings. There were times when all he wanted was for Cloud to just get over Vincent and realize that Cid was there, waiting with open arms. But Cid knew that would never happen. He'd seen the way Cloud gazed out the window every night after dinner. Cloud's heart had already been given away. There was no chance for Cid.

It was at that point in his thinking process that he would find himself wishing for nothing but Cloud's happiness, wishing that the haze of sadness suppressing the bright blue of the swordsman's eyes would disappear. Cid wanted that, and he wanted it badly enough that he would be satisfied even if he wasn't the one to make the glow of happiness return to mako-enhanced azure eyes. He wanted it enough to let Vincent have back what was his.

There was a war waging inside the pilot's mind, and he didn't like it at all. He was completely at odds with himself, and it made him uncomfortable and depressed. He hadn't been sleeping well since Cloud left, caught up in a web of worry over the younger blond's safety, and over his own feelings. He would sift through the memories in his head, trying to comfort himself with mental images of Cloud living safely and happily, but every time he tried to do that, the images would fade into what Cloud had looked like that last night… how the younger man hadn't pulled away when Cid approached him, how he hadn't rejected a sign of affection, how soft his lips had been, how sad he'd looked after they'd parted…

And then he was back to the guilt again. It was never ending cycle of torturous thoughts. The only way to get rid of them was to see Cloud again, to work things out. But, as Shera set a steaming mug of tea down in front of him and offered a soft and reassuring smile before leaving the room, Cid realized exactly how impossible that was going to be.

* * *

Fluffy grey clouds rolled around the small plane as it flew over a bluish grey ocean. Cloud breathed deep, inhaling the scent of machinery and stale air. If there was one thing he wished the Tiny Bronco had, it was windows that opened. He was far too used to traveling in the open air of his motorcycle.

He was heading toward Junon, hoping with every fiber of his being that Tifa wasn't still holed up in his apartment. Though, at this point, he didn't really give a damn _what_ Tifa did. He was exhausted. He had been traveling for nearly two weeks, making his way to this place and that, asking around for anyone who had seen 'the man in the red cape'; a task that was taxing in itself because it was as if he was on the hunt for Sephiroth all over again.

After leaving the Forgotten City, he had gone back through Bone Village to retrieve the Bronco, and had proceeded to fly to the Northern Cave. It was just as unwelcoming a place as it had always been, but it was far away and desolate, and very, very vast. A perfect place to go if one didn't want to be found.

If a person wasn't deterred by the sheer size of the crater, then the outstandingly strong monsters that still inhabited the place surely would have put off any normal traveler. But both Cloud and Vincent had braved the cave before, so what's to say that Vincent wouldn't choose it as his hideaway?

The swordsman had explored every dark corner and every barely-standing ledge in the cave, narrowly avoiding slipping into pools of exposed Lifestream and raw mako, and cutting his way through hundreds of monsters who would have liked nothing more than to devour such a despaired creature as himself. And still he found nothing.

After three days of searching the crater, he gave up on it. He didn't like being there… in the place where he'd had to defeat his former lover. Honestly, he was glad Vincent wasn't there. The place just seemed to hold a sort of taboo against people Cloud cared for, almost as if the land itself had a personal vendetta for the ex-SOLDIER.

Utterly beaten and battered, Cloud managed to crawl out of the Northern Cave and into his plane. He rounded to Mideel, taking little comfort in the hot springs town and applied himself wholeheartedly to finding _any_ information on the person he was looking for. It didn't help matters that he was recognized everywhere he went, first as the man who had survived not one, but _two_ falls into the Lifestream, then as the man who had saved the world, defeated Sephiroth, overthrown ShinRa, and gotten rid of Meteor. Needless to say, he didn't find much of the information he was seeking.

He finally settled on just going back to Junon. A small piece of his mind thought that Vincent might be there. It was a very unlikely spot to be found because it was so close to home, so Cloud considered it a perfect hiding spot for his lost lover. He just hoped he might be right.

A distant roll of thunder sounded somewhere in the skies off to his left, and he was thankful he could see the cityscape of Junon not too far in the distance. Little droplets of rain were sporadically splashing on his windshield, but it wasn't so bad that he felt he was in any danger.

As he rounded the landing pad of Junon, the raindrops were starting to get bigger, making small 'thunk' noises as they splattered against the windshield. Cloud maneuvered the plane to the landing strip, and let out the breath he found he always inadvertently held whenever he landed the small aircraft. Even when he was the one piloting, he still felt a little bit of motion sickness, and he was just glad to be back on the ground.

As he climbed out of the cockpit, he was greeted by the same pilot who flew the Heli-Taxi.

"Mr. Strife!" the young man all but squealed. Cloud didn't bother to hide the rolling of his eyes as he remembered the man's admiration of him. The young man didn't seem to notice. "You're flying now! What a nice-looking plane! Oh! Can I touch it?"

Cloud turned his eyes to the man and glared at him. "Just… put it somewhere where it will be out of the way. I don't want anything happening to it." He tossed the man the key, and stalked off toward his apartment building, ignoring the flamboyant man's yelp of delight at getting to move _Mr. Strife's_ plane.

The swordsman had never been so glad that he lived so close to the landing strip. All he wanted was to curl up in his own bed and sleep for weeks. Well, that's what his body wanted, anyway. He found he disliked the sudden opposition between his mind and his body. His head was telling him to keep searching, but even his SOLDIER's body couldn't keep up with his mind's demands. He was also feeling quite homesick. As much as he had traveled before, after living in one spot for four years he found that he just wasn't the nomad he used to be.

"Ancients above! It's Cloud!"

Cloud winced at the high-pitched call. He immediately sped up his steps, just trying to reach his home. But he had no such luck.

"Cloud!"

Cloud stopped short and winced again at the angry female voice. Damnit, this was _just_ what he needed.

"Where have you _been_!"

The blond sighed and dropped his shoulders as he turned around. Lydia stood with fists propped on her hips, glaring angrily at him. He attempted a smile, but it was more of mere twitch of his lips. "Hello, Lydia."

The young girl huffed indignantly and crossed her arms. "I just don't get you! You give me all kinds of signals, and then you just _disappear_ for _weeks_ at a time! What, do you expect me to just stay here and play housewife for you? The young girl waiting for her hero to come back to her… you men are all the same!"

Cloud raised an eyebrow at her. "You talk like we're married or something." Lydia just tapped her foot on the pavement, arms still crossed, brown eyes glaring. "Look, Lydia," Cloud started, crossing his own arms and mimicking her position. "I'm not your boyfriend, and I'll never _be_ your boyfriend. Got it memorized? It's never gonna happen. I don't even like girls."

Lydia looked like she was on the verge of tears. "But I'm not a girl! I'm a _woman_! I'm… I'm more grown up than I look! Honest!"

Cloud sighed angrily when the girl completely missed his meaning. "No, you don't get it. Just… leave me alone," he mumbled as he turned to go.

"No, wait Cloud!" Lydia pleaded as she grabbed his wrist. Without any warning, Cloud growled and yanked his arm away from the girl with such a force that she stumbled and lost her balance, falling to her knees.

"Leave me _alone!_" Cloud yelled a bit louder than he'd wanted, but he just didn't _care._ He needed to get home. He took off for his building, leaving Lydia in a crying, broken heap on the sidewalk. He knew he'd just shattered her heart, but he couldn't stress enough on himself just how much he didn't care at that point. He was tired, homesick, physically exhausted, mentally drained, and just needed to be _home_. She wouldn't want to be with him anyway. He just couldn't seem to keep any of the people he loved safe. She could handle a crush gone bad and a scraped knee, but deep down, Cloud knew he'd never forgive himself if something worse happened to her because of him.

As he reached the door to his building, he slowly pushed it open, feeling as though he hadn't seen the dark walls and hardwood floors in centuries. Almost drunkenly he stumbled up to the fifth floor and over to his own door. When he pushed it open, he stepped in and slammed it shut, not caring that his neighbors might complain. He felt like his brain had just completely shut down as he moved automatically to his bedroom, shedding his boots, vest, and undershirt as he went.

He was just so _tired._ If he'd been more alert, he would have been amazed at how easily he fell into his old routine. But… the only thing missing now was…

"Vincent?" he called tiredly, before realizing with a deadly sinking of his heart and a widening of his eyes that the one reason he was so homesick was because he missed _Vincent_, not just his home.

With a choked sob that he hadn't realized he'd been suppressing, he fell onto his bed, buried his face in his pillow, the missing gunman's scent still lingering there and filling his nostrils as he forced all of his frustrations into the tears that were spilling from his eyes and seeping into the soft fabric. He didn't stop crying, even as he drifted off to sleep, a storm waging outside that matched the inside of the ex-SOLDIER's truly broken heart.

* * *

_It was a dreary day. The stormy clouds outside made the city of Midgar look even more grey than usual. What a day to have chosen for a vacation._

_He wasn't sure why the entire school had been given a day of leave. He didn't care. He didn't have anywhere to leave to, but he was thankful to not have to attend classes, at least. It was boring, but he was never one to complain about having a little alone time._

_Not that he'd chosen to be alone either. If he'd had his way, he would have spent his entire day off with his lover, but he had been called away to some all-day business meeting or something of that sort._

_His lover. The thought still gave him butterflies in his stomach. Who would have thought that a hopeless little nobody from the tiny town of Nibelheim could have ever landed the great General Sephiroth as a lover? Not that he was gloating or anything. No. Never._

_A wide grin spread over his face as he watched the storm clouds roll by, pouring their contents on the poor citizens of the great city who had been caught outdoors. Sephiroth was _his_ lover. No, he wasn't gloating. He was being a downright ass about it._

_He couldn't help it. He'd passionately lusted over the silver-haired beauty since he'd hit puberty, and now he could say that he not only met his idol, but had slept with him too._

_Not that he'd go blabbing it all over the Planet, but it felt nice to be able to at least brag to himself. Images floated through his head as his eyes subconsciously followed a raindrop trailing down the window in front of him. Images of Sephiroth… his face… his hands… his body… Gods that _glorious_ body. Such a body shouldn't be considered mortal; should be hidden away for no one but the angels to see._

_No one but the angels, and Cloud, of course._

_The young cadet closed his eyes and leaned his head against the frame of the window he was perched next to, imagining touching that body, imagining what that body could do to him. His focus drifted to the various limbs and appendages that came with that body. Strong, slim legs, well defined arms and shoulders, and soft, gentle hands that knew exactly where to stroke and where to scratch in order to make the blond whimper in painful pleasure._

_He had no idea how he'd gotten so lucky._

_A sharp sound of thunder crashed outside and made him jump slightly. Blue eyes scanned the skies briefly, simply because that was where the sound had come from, so it was the first thing he focused on. Something else caught his attention, however, and he almost groaned in annoyance because it was his own fault. He wanted to ignore it, but, being a young teenaged male, he just couldn't ignore what his body so obviously craved after such vivid memories of a gorgeous General._

_He shifted uncomfortably on the windowsill as the tightness of his pants became just a tad unbearable. The only sound to be heard was the soft patter of raindrops against the glass in front of him. Other than that, the apartment was so silent—_

_Silence._

_Silence, as in no one was home but him._

_His gaze shifted around the room in consideration. Why not take care of his body's needs? He was alone, and in Sephiroth's apartment, no less. No one would know._

_He chuckled to himself and leaned casually back against the window frame. His mind made up, he allowed the gentle sound of the rain to lull him back into his imagination. An image of his lover appeared in his mind. He was smiling, but there was a hint of mischief in his jade eyes as he sauntered over to Cloud, his creamy skin picking up the faint light of the moon outside. With his body on autopilot now, Cloud didn't even realize that his hand had drifted to rub over the growing hardness in his standard issue fatigues._

_His fingertips grazed over the fabric, but his mind registered them as Sephiroth's fingers, deft and knowing as they pressed firmly in all the right places before going for the fastenings of the dark blue pants. He let out a breath as some pressure was relieved when his pants were undone; the only barrier left being his underwear. Fingers caressed lightly over his stomach, lifting his shirt a little and tracing delicate lines around his navel and through the soft trail of hair that led a path straight down. A hissed moan escaped him when those smooth, pale fingers touched the base of his arousal and danced lightly around it. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he congratulated himself on how realistic he was making this._

_Those fingers ran up the length of him, teasing with knowing movements and just the right amount of light pain in certain spots. Finally, he could take no more teasing, and he began a series of long strokes, massaging harder and faster accordingly._

_He felt heat coil in the pit of his stomach, a dull ache surrounding his inner core. In his mind, Sephiroth had moved on from using his hand, and had knelt down to use his mouth. Cloud let out a small mewl of pleasure as the imaginary General's soft pink lips surrounded him, and he just couldn't hold on any longer._

"Ahh… Seph… Sephiroth!"

* * *

A loud cry startled him awake, and it took him a few moments to realize that it had come from his own voice. He was slightly out of breath, and at first he couldn't register why, but he didn't feel like trying to think about it as he brought his hand up to rub his eyes. Before he even made contact with his face, his eyes flew open as he caught the faintest scent of something familiar. He groaned as he moved his hand back down to wipe it on his pants.

"Aren't we a little old to be having wet dreams?"

The blond sighed and settled into the warmth behind him without thinking about it, closing his eyes as he relaxed a little. "I guess I just haven't had the desire to find some kind of release lately."

Lips pressed lightly against the back of his shoulder. "You haven't enjoyed our time together?"

"I have… I've just been really tense…" He trailed off as a shiver ran down his back from the feather-light touches that trailed over his hip.

Hot breath brushed over his ear as the deep voice spoke again. "Let me relax you." Cloud sighed, feeling negative thoughts trying to push themselves to the front of his mind. He ignored them and let himself give in to the heightening relaxation that came in the form of those soft lips traveling along his skin. Vaguely, he felt that what was happening wasn't right, but he also felt that it didn't matter… almost as if his mind was being forced to step aside to let another mind have the controls. Perhaps he should have thought there was something odd about that feeling, but as teeth gently nibbled at the back of his neck and a warm hand slid around to the front of his waist, he wanted nothing else but to melt into the touch.

* * *

**A/N:** Cliffhanger! If you haven't figured it out by now, I LOVE cliffys. *grin* Really, I had more to write, but once the chapter hit 10 pages, I figured it was time to stop. XD So that means we must add another chapter to the master chapter count. What's it at now? 28? I think that's right, but I'm too lazy to check. So yeah. I really, really promise that I'll try and have the next chapter out soon. It's gonna start out lemony, I think, so I have that to look forward to… and so do you. XD

Review if you love me! If you don't love me… review anyway and just pretend that you do. XP


	19. Chaos

**A/N:** I know… I'm horrible, I know. It's been like three months. I'm not going to bother with excuses, I'm just going to say that I got busy and lost the inspiration for this story. Even now, I'm not posting the entirety of what I wanted to, but I just got sick of having most of the chapter written and not being able to post it. So it's a little shorter than normal. But at least it's something. It's a direct continuation of the last part of the chapter before this, so if you don't remember what happened, then I would advise reading at least the last part. Just for continuity purposes if nothing else.

Also, in the second part of this, italics means that Chaos is speaking to Vincent.

Okay, read now before you totally forget everything that happened. XD

* * *

**Chapter 18 – Chaos**

"Why is my lovely so upset?"

Cloud shivered, trying to concentrate enough on the deep, sultry voice's words to answer, but found it difficult as the hands belonging to the voice nimbly worked the button of his pants open. "I… because… because of him…"

"Oh? Someone is upsetting you?" The hands were working on his zipper now, every movement slow and paced. Cloud's breathing was starting to become labored as the soft touches moved below the hem of his now open pants.

Everything seemed perfect… it was almost as if he were dreaming again. His hands slid down slender arms to rest on top of the other pair of hands as they gently massaged his hips. Closing his eyes and leaning his head back onto a strong shoulder, he attempted to coax the hands downwards, wanting desperately for some kind of contact… some kind of feeling.

His mind was screaming at him, but he couldn't decipher what it was he was trying to tell himself. There was a feeling of intense _wrongness_ just permeating the entire room, but for once, Cloud just didn't _care_. He wanted this. He wanted to be held, to be touched.

He wanted to be loved.

Because Vincent didn't love him.

Wait, Vincent?

Vincent who?

He hissed out a breath when warm fingertips trailed over his arousal, throwing his thoughts awry yet again. There was a name on his tongue that wanted to pass his lips, but for some reason, he didn't want to let himself say it.

"Like that, pet?" the deep voice purred, as the matching hand firmed its grip around him.

Cloud could only moan quietly in response. This seemed so normal… like he'd been doing it for years. He knew these feelings he was having. He knew the hands around him, knew the soft lips trailing gentle kisses along his neck and shoulder. He knew the voice ghosting over him in a similar manner as the hands caressing him. As he inadvertently rolled his hips into the touch, he lost himself to the feeling, thus allowing that forbidden name fall from his mouth…

"Sephiroth…"

"Yes, Cloud?" If the blond had been looking at the man behind him, he would have seen angelic features curling into a devious smirk, grinning catlike and mischievous. Cloud simply let out a breath and pressed himself closer to the familiar body behind him, all thoughts of anything right leaving his mind.

"Do you love me?"

Sephiroth did not stop the motions of his hand. "That all depends, Cloud… am I the only one occupying your thoughts?" As he spoke, his light caresses turned to more firm strokes.

Cloud let out a choked moan, whispering desperately, "The only one… the only one in the world…"

Sephiroth's eyes narrowed, a triumphant smile spreading over his lips. "What about this 'Vincent'?"

The younger man couldn't for the life of him form a coherent thought involving anything but the man touching him. "Who…?"

The silver-haired man wrapped his lips around the lobe of Cloud's ear, whispering quietly as the speed of his hand quickened. "No one… there is no one but me, Cloud… remember that."

"No one but you…" Cloud repeated, feeling as though he had left his own body behind and he couldn't get back in. But it just felt so _good_.

Those lips brushed over his ear again. "Let me have you, Cloud."

The words were so familiar. Where had he heard them? He'd heard them… just recently. Sephiroth wanted him to be his lover. But… wasn't it breaking the rules?

"Sir…" Cloud breathed. "It's against protocol…" Cloud couldn't even recognize the words coming out of his own mouth. Where was he? ShinRa… the military academy… Sephiroth's room…

Sephiroth's grin widened. His plan was working. "Cloud, I am the General and you are under my supervision. Is it not also against protocol to disobey your superior?" A quick flick of his wrist made Cloud moan again.

"Sir…"

"'Sir' what?" Sephiroth cooed, stroking harder and pressing himself up against Cloud's back, letting the younger man feel what he was doing to him.

"Sir, please… take me… I'm yours…" No, Cloud! What was he doing?

The General's lips spread into a grin that was anything but kind. "As you wish, Soldier." Cloud let out another moan as those amazing hands freed him of his pants in one swift motion. Long fingers trailed up his body, brushing over his most sensitive spots as if each one had a sign on it that read "touch me here". They pressed against his lips, a silent demand for entry, and he allowed it, not thinking at all at this point as Sephiroth's fingers teased his tongue. The General pulled his fingers free after a moment, using them to briefly prepare Cloud's body.

As Sephiroth pushed into him, Cloud's mind was lost to everything but the man behind him… his General, his lover… his only one.

* * *

It was peaceful here. Soft sunlight flowed through a blanket canopy of trees, each a home to some happily chirping animal. It was another place in the world where the number of monsters had dissipated due to the lack of mako usage, so the lone figure in the small clearing had no interruptions to his thought process.

This was a bad thing.

His thoughts wandered, as they often did of late. They traveled to the past… they wondered about the future… they reflected on the present.

Everything was so messed up. It had all gone downhill so quickly. In one day, his entire life had shattered. His heart had broken; his mind had cracked. He knew what was going on was not right, but he couldn't stop it. Now, he was stuck in the middle of something that felt far greater than it should have.

What Cloud did was certainly wrong, and certainly devastating, but since when had that been an excuse to be so hasty? To jump to conclusions? To be so sensitive? Perhaps he had let himself go soft. That had to be it. Three or four years of happiness suddenly gave merit to dramatic actions and easily broken façades.

Yes, that's all it was. A façade. He had built up walls around himself because of his past. He had wanted to protect himself from ever hurting again, from ever loving again. But that all changed as soon as he saw those sad, blue eyes, swirling with a hidden need for guidance, acceptance, and love. He'd fallen for it hook, line, and sinker.

Was it really just something he'd fallen for though? He had truly believed himself to be in love with Cloud. He still believed it. But for the first time since he had realized that fact, he was questioning the reasons for it… as well as questioning the reciprocation of his feelings.

Cloud always seemed happy with him. They were together for so long. But was that really just a long period of time where he just couldn't see what Cloud had been doing right under his nose? He wanted to say no, that he trusted Cloud, that they trusted each other, that Cloud wouldn't do that. But he did.

He sighed.

There was also the fact that Cloud had never said he loved him. He never once vocalized his feelings. Perhaps that meant that he didn't actually have those feelings. Judging by what had happened, that seemed to be the best fitting explanation, at least as far as Cloud's lack of speaking went.

So Cloud never really loved him. That hurt. That thought alone hurt more than anything that had happened. It was the root of everything. If Cloud had actually loved him, then nothing would have happened and they would have lived on happily together. Instead, things had happened and now he was in this place, this disgustingly peaceful and serene place, beating himself up for not even realizing that he had just spent the last four years of his life wasting his time on a false love.

_You should cease this destructive thought pattern, Vincent._

"Shut up."

_No. I desire not to contend with it any longer._

"Yes, well I desire not to _contend_ with you anymore either, but unfortunately that cannot be arranged, so it looks like we're just going to have to _contend _with each other," he growled, knowing he really didn't need to be speaking aloud. Obviously, Chaos could comprehend his thoughts.

Vincent grunted rather sarcastically when the beast remained silent. It had been considerably more talkative the past few weeks, not very subtly putting in its input in reference to what Vincent had been doing. Vincent just assumed that it was merely upset because he was supposedly working with his enemies. Chaos didn't like Hojo very much.

"It speaks, doesn't it?"

Vincent rolled his eyes.

"So it does. That is quite fascinating."

"Leave me be, Hojo. I'm not in the mood to discuss the inner workings of my mind with you."

The scientist cackled. "Ah, but it is the inner workings of your mind in which I am interested. What does it say? Does it tell you about your desperate little lover?"

Vincent scowled and turned away from the approaching scientist, not wanting to be near him, especially if he was going to talk about Cloud.

"Pity that you don't set it free more often. It must be suffocating in that busy mind of yours."

Vincent directed his scowl at a nearby tree, since he wasn't actually facing the man speaking to him. "How would you know if my mind is busy?"

The scientist laughed once more. "You would be surprised at how much I know about you, Valentine, and not just because of all the 'tinkering' I did with your body so long ago."

The gunner clenched his teeth. He was surprised the tree hadn't caught fire yet from the glare he was shooting at it.

There was a pause before that annoyingly scratchy voice spoke again, sounding more tainted by insanity with every word. "Do you not have a response for me? I suppose that's all right. I know what you're thinking anyway."

Vincent purposely pictured Chaos ripping the scientist to shreds, and the beast snickered in the back of his mind.

"A bloody death you wish upon me then? I don't suppose I blame you, however amusing I find it. Aren't you going to ask how I got such power?"

Vincent did not answer.

Hojo continued anyway, as expected. "It came from someone you know well, and he was most generous in granting it to me…" The tone of the scientist's voice was sticky-sweet, betraying the fact that he was only using it to essentially piss Vincent off, and that he didn't believe a word coming out of his own mouth. It made Vincent cringe, and Chaos growl lowly.

"Because of it I know many things… For instance, I know that you are wondering about the would-be SOLDIER you've found yourself so infatuated with… am I correct?"

It was Vincent's turn to growl. His control of his anger was slowly slipping, and he got the sense that Chaos was cheering him on.

"I guess I am. This lover of yours… Strife. Do you know where he is, Vincent?"

The gunner had to close his eyes and count down from ten, which Chaos highly disapproved of. Vincent could literally feel the beast's ache for blood.

"Why do you want to know?"

The gunman could almost hear the disgusting grin spread over the scientist's face. "_I_ know where he is…"

Vincent didn't notice that the fingers of his claw were digging into the ground as he spoke through tightly clenched teeth. "I don't _care._"

"Oh? Well I think you do."

_Set me free._

"No!" Vincent yelled, both to Chaos and to Hojo's persistent questioning. In a different state of mind the gunner would have wondered at his own odd behavior, but at the moment he was having trouble keeping himself from turning and clawing the scientists eyes from their sockets, so internal reflection was pretty much out of the question.

Hojo laughed once more. "You know, I'd always hoped my son would find a nice little puppet to play with. That's why I did all those experiments so long ago." The cackly voice turned almost wistful, but the sarcasm laced through the scientist's tone proved that he was simply amused. "Who knew that a clone I considered a failed experiment could prove so useful, even after all these years?"

Three…

"My son is so clever… I'd wager that your dearest _Cloud_ fancies himself in love."

Two…

"I'm just so thrilled that my son will get what he wants…"

One…

"Tell me Vincent… did Sephiroth look as magnificent and powerful as always between the thighs of your beloved?"

_Vincent!_

The gunner surged up from his place on the ground. Chaos screamed angrily in his mind as Vincent charged at the scientist, intending to slash the disgusting smirk right off of his face. Claw raised, ready for the attack, Vincent swung as hard as he could, aiming perfectly for Hojo's throat…

But he only stumbled forward. There was no blood. No sound. Only his own labored breathing and Chaos' seething protests in his mind. Vincent looked around for the scientist, but he was alone.

Angrier than ever, he just barely caught the sound of a cackle on the breeze through the blood throbbing loudly in his veins.

Chaos growled, but otherwise stayed silent, seeming to have given up. Vincent's anger had not dissipated, and he whirled around, clawing five deep gouges in the nearest tree, a hellish cry ripping from his throat, full of loathing, and anguish, and sadness… when would it end? When would he be rid of these… those… _them_? He wasn't even sure what to call them anymore. Ghosts? Hallucinations? Or perhaps they were real, and had gained some kind of magical power, and he was too weak to avoid it. It was confusing, and frustrating, and he wasn't sure how much more of this insanity he could take.

He fell to his knees and stared at the ground, wondering how it was possible that he was the one to have to deal with all of this. He only wanted someone to _explain_. Explain why Sephiroth had suddenly reappeared and started ordering him around, explain why he was doing as he had been ordered, explain why Cloud chose the General over Vincent, explain why he couldn't even touch Hojo, explain why he could feel Lucrecia kiss him…

They couldn't be real. But they were. They were there, but they weren't. Like some kind of dream… no… a nightmare. Vincent knew nightmares. He would have to remember to add this to the list of the worst ones.

He knew where Cloud was… Cloud was with _him_. Vincent knew everything that went on… either by his own observation or by what he was told. Both Hojo and Lucrecia seemed to know everything that went on, and they took no precaution in laying it all out for Vincent in sharp detail. But that wasn't even the worst of it.

Sephiroth himself did too.

Because Vincent _asked_ him.

The gunner didn't know why he asked, but Sephiroth always came freakishly close to being delighted to be telling Vincent all about how Cloud was doing. He didn't know whether to be thankful that Sephiroth was being kind enough to let Vincent know that Cloud was okay, or that Sephiroth was only fueling his anger at the swordsman. It was frustrating, and confusing, and it was driving him _insane_.

"Cloud…" the gunner whispered. "I want to hate you… but I don't know if I can…"

* * *

**A/N:** Yeah… we're getting to the point where everything's going to kind of come together. There's still a long way to go, though. In the next chapter, there WILL be more Cid/Cloud… and it IS justified. Meaning there is a reason for it besides the fact that Cid wants to get in Cloud's pants. It is temporary, and Cloud and Vincent will get back together. And that's all I'm giving away. *walks off to contemplate the plot some more*


	20. Please Kill the Messenger

**A/N:** OMG I'm alive. Again with the sorries. *bows humbly* I'm really hoping to get back into this fic over the summer since I'll have more time and less people to talk to. Which means more frequent updates. Buuuuut... I make no promises. I haven't been liking where this fic is going, but I'm trying hard to get it back on track. I refuse to abandon it. It's all special and stuff since it was my first story. Anyway, I'll shut up now. Happy reading.

* * *

**Chapter 19 – Please Kill the Messenger**

_I hurt…_

_And I don't know why…_

_But I feel…_

_Satisfied._

Yes… satisfied, was a good word for it.

_But why…?_

This kind of pain could only come from one activity.

_But I didn't… There was no one here but me…_

Cloud opened his eyes. He was in his room. That surprised him, but only for a minute. It had been so long since he'd been home. Looking around tiredly, his gaze caught the clock.

_Noon… I haven't slept this late since I was a teenager…_

He was cold. It took him a moment to realize that it was because there was nothing on him. No blankets, not even clothing. He could have sworn he at least had pants on when he went to sleep. There was more to this coldness though… It felt like he was cold from the inside out. Yes, his skin was cold, but he felt like his entire being was cold too… like his blood was running icy currents through his system.

Everywhere on him he could feel dried sweat, as if he'd done some kind of manual labor in a cold area without giving himself time to cool down. It made him shiver right down to his very core, and he didn't like it, because he didn't know _why_.

He'd had the strangest dream… There was someone in it he knew very well, but he couldn't place who it could be. One thing he couldn't ignore was the feeling of blatant nostalgia he was experiencing from the dream. It felt so familiar… like he'd had that dream countless times… or even actually lived the dream. And he wasn't sure if he liked this feeling.

He shivered again, sighing along with the movement. He felt dirty; crusty like he hadn't bathed in days and the soil from just life in general was all around him. He raised his hand to his eyes, rubbing fiercely and noticing the feeling was there too. His skin felt dry and brittle. Almost like he had been crying…

Suddenly he stopped. He _had_ been crying. He had come home from… everything, and he'd gone straight to bed… and he'd _cried_. But… why?

Why had he even been gone so long? He was… searching for something. What was he searching for? Why did he need it so desperately?

He didn't like waking up and being so confused. It was unnerving, and made him think something was wrong with him. He felt like there was an entire chunk of his thoughts missing… an important piece of his memory that had somehow escaped him. He remembered looking… he remembered flying around the entire world to find something that was so important to him, he'd give up anything to find it…

…But he couldn't for the life of him remember what it was.

Slowly, he sat up, rubbing at his eyes again to gain at least a visual focus on everything that was happening. It was better than nothing. Idly, he let his eyes wander around his room. He hadn't realized how much he'd missed it. It was the same as ever. Barely cluttered, sparsely decorated, same colors, same wallpaper, same pictures.

…Pictures?

Blinking in bewilderment, Cloud leaned over to his bedside table and grabbed a picture to look at it. It was the one of himself and Vincent on the bench, and he stared at it like he wasn't sure how it got in his hands. Before he realized it was moving, one of his fingers gently moved over Vincent's face, the cool glass of the frame icy on his skin. In a rush of memories, everything came back to him, and he had to choke back a sob as it all sunk in. He just wanted so desperately to see Vincent like this again… one of his rare smiles gracing pale lips as those eyes looked into his own. It was almost too much to even think about it.

Cloud sat there for another moment, admiring the beauty he saw in the image—beauty that could never match that of the real man—before gently setting the picture back on his bedside table. With a sigh he slowly slid out of his bed, trying to forget the weirdness of his dreams, forget the pain in his body to focus on the pain in his heart. He moved sluggishly over to his dresser, pulling out a set of clothes to wear, and then proceeded to empty the contents of all his drawers onto his bed. He dressed himself, and moved to his closet, digging for a few minutes before producing a large duffel bag.

He was going to find Vincent and make amends if he had to die trying.

After packing all his clothes up, he left the bag on the bed and moved to the bathroom to wash his face. The broken mirror greeted him with sharp slivers of reflective glass, glinting in the midday sunlight streaming in through the window over the bathtub. He stared at his multiple reflections. Each one looked more crumpled and desperate than the last. With a resigned sigh, he bent over the sink and splashed some cold water on his face, at least to get rid of the dirty feeling, if nothing else.

He stepped back out into the bedroom, his muscles slow and achy. Perhaps he just slept wrong. Ignoring the ache, he made his way over to the bed, setting a hand on his bag. He looked up one more time, trying to confirm that he had everything he needed, before letting his eyes fall on his pictures once more. He debated taking one of them with him, but then thought better of it. There was no telling what kind of things he was about to put himself through, and a picture could get damaged or destroyed. Also, he wasn't sure if he would be able to handle being able to look at Vincent whenever he wanted during this journey. It might just drive him mad.

Promising himself that he'd be back soon, he let his eyes sweep once more around the room before slinging his bag over his shoulder and leaving his home behind.

He moved quickly down the stairs, his keys clenched tightly in his hand. Where he was actually going, he wasn't sure. He'd searched everywhere; some places even more than once. Except, obviously he hadn't searched everywhere, because then he would have found Vincent.

He moved quickly down the stairs, his keys jingling and his clunky boots thudding loudly against the old steps. He heard someone else coming up from the bottom floor, but paid no mind. It was a large building. Many people lived here. He was too distracted to care much anyway.

Too distracted until he heard a screech of his name followed by those footsteps picking up an incredible speed until another body crashed with his own. He blinked in confusion, dazed by his lack of attention and trying to get a look at the shaking person attached to him. But all he could see was long, brown hair.

"Cloud Strife!" The girl pulled away from him, holding tightly to his shoulders, and for some reason Cloud was surprised to see who it was.

"Tifa? What are you still doing here?"

Tifa's expression turned dangerously angry. "What am _I_ doing here? I've been staying hoping _you_ would come back!"

Cloud winced at her tone, her frantic, high-pitched yells piercing right through to his brain. "Tifa, could you keep it down?"

The girl gritted her teeth, looking angrier by the minute. "_Keep it down?_ You _LEFT!_ You ran away without telling me! Do you _know_ how fucking _worried_ I was? Do you?"

"I'm a grown man, Tifa. And this is my apartm—" He was cut off as a hard slap struck his face, making him grunt as his head tossed to the side. The tangy, metallic taste of blood filled his mouth and he grimaced.

Tifa stood a step below him, panting in rage and still gritting her teeth. "You still had _no right_ to just _leave_."

"Bullshit," Cloud spat. "You wouldn't have let me leave even if I had asked. I _did_ ask. You were holding me hostage in my own home!"

"For your own good!"

It was Cloud's turn to be angry. "No! I'm not a baby, Tifa! I can take care of myself, and I have every right to decide what's best for me! I don't need you to baby me! What I need is to find Vincent!"

"Cloud, if you haven't found him after this long, don't you think you should just give up?" she asked bitterly, propping a hand on her hip.

"Give up? Why should I give up? So I can settle down with _you?_" The disgust and venom in his words made her suddenly flinch and shrink back. But he kept going. "This was just what you were waiting for, wasn't it? Don't think I didn't notice how you jumped the gun and tried to keep me for yourself as soon as you found out he was gone!"

"Cloud…"

"No, Tifa. We're done here. I'm not giving up, I am going to find him, I'm never going to be with you, and you need to leave my apartment and go _home._ Stop wasting your life waiting around for someone you'll _never have_."

She folded her arms over her midriff protectively and gave a small nod, sniffling quietly as she lowered her face. Cloud pushed past her and started to continue his way downstairs, but she caught his arm, making him stop abruptly. He turned to her, his expression one of frustration and irritation. "What?"

"Where are you going now?" she asked quietly. "Just so I have… an idea."

Cloud yanked his arm out of her grasp. "I'm going back to Cid's. I left my bike there." And with that, he was gone, leaving the brunette standing on the stairs chewing a fingernail and trying to ignore the tears falling down her cheeks.

Cloud was enraged. He'd forgotten his sore muscles. He just concentrated on the adrenaline rushing through his system. The _nerve_… How could she expect something like that to work on him? It was outrageous.

He slammed the door behind him, his boots pounding on the sidewalk as he walked. Somewhere off in the edge of his vision he saw Lydia and her friends watching him, but he ignored them, wanting to get to his bike as soon as possible. When he got within sight of the launch pad, the Heli-Taxi pilot jumped up and started toward him. Cloud had to fight the urge to glare at him.

"What will it be, Mr. Strife? Want a lift to Outer City or—"

"I just want my plane, please."

The pilot was unaffected by Cloud's tone as he bounced happily to get Cloud's keys. He came back, a wide smile on his face as he handed the keys to their owner. "Right this way."

Cloud followed the pilot to a part of Junon he'd never seen before where there were a number of planes and airships lined up almost as if it were a parking lot for aircraft. Among the vehicles there were three or four Heli-Taxis and the Tiny Bronco.

"Your machine's right over there. She really is a beaut'. I'll be looking forward to when you get back!"

"Thanks," Cloud mumbled as he walked off toward the Bronco. When he got to it he tossed his bag in behind the pilot's seat and climbed in, running through the starting procedures that were almost second nature to him now. The Junon runway was long, which was a good thing because if a plane didn't get enough speed on the runway, then it wouldn't have any choice but to fall into a deep ocean, if it even missed the base of the city, which jutted out into the water a good few hundred feet from the shoreline.

Once Cloud was in the air, he relaxed slightly. His run-in with Tifa had not left him in a good mood, and he just wanted out. Now that he had out, he was relieved. The only thing that unnerved him was the fact that he had no clue what he would do when he got back to Cid's. He wasn't even sure if Cid would welcome him back so soon. It might just be too awkward.

As the hours of his flight dragged on, various thoughts fleeted through his mind. He thought about the past: time he'd spent with Vincent, special things they'd done… the first time they'd made love. He thought back to when they first met, how intimidatingly beautiful the gunner was, lying lifeless in his coffin for the brief few moments before those eyes opened, the red wine color glinting with firelight and mako. He thought back even further than that, to when he was in SOLDIER training school, his time with Zack, his idolization of Sephiroth. He thought of his mother, and Aerith. He thought of his rocky childhood as the outcast, watching Tifa and her friends from the other side of the town center and wishing he could be part of their bond. When those thoughts got to be too nagging, he turned to more recent events.

He looked around the cockpit of the Bronco. He had made the plane his own, for sure, but there were still little bits of Cid's personality there too. There was a small burned hole in the side paneling of the starboard side of the cockpit, probably from a dropped cigarette. And of course, right on the center console was Cid's signature Highwind symbol with the Lady Luck stamped right into the leather, proof that he had not only owned the plane, but built it as well.

Thinking of Cid turned his thoughts to what he'd recently found out about the pilot. He'd been thinking about it off and on since it happened, and he found that for some reason, the more he thought about it, the more he accepted it. He knew he was vulnerable, but the idea of someone loving him right now was just so appealing.

He missed the way it felt to lie in someone's arms at night. He missed feeling like he was loved and desirable. He missed feeling beautiful under the gaze of someone special.

He sighed heavily. He missed Vincent.

A sharp _ding_ cut off his musings, making him turn to look at the dashboard. One of what Cid so fondly called 'idiot lights' was flashing. It read, "Fuel". Sighing again, this time in annoyance, he remembered that he hadn't refueled in a while. He glanced out his side window, trying to see where he was. Deep red sand and cliffs were just passing under him, giving way to rolling green grasslands. He had gotten farther than he thought if he was just passing Cosmo Canyon.

The dashboard beeped again and Cloud grumbled at it. He would need to find somewhere to refuel soon. After a little thought he remembered that the closest town was Nibelheim. This was not a comforting realization. He looked at the fuel gauge to see if he had enough fuel to make it over the mountains, but the little red bar wasn't promising much.

"All right, _fine_," he bit out, none too happy about his situation. He waited a few moments before slowly starting his descent to the grasslands. It took less fuel for the plane to travel on the ground, so he figured he could land it and then drive it as close to the town as he could get.

The landing was less smooth than he would have liked, making his stomach lurch and remind him just why he didn't like being so cramped inside a vehicle, especially one that was now rolling over extremely uneven ground. Luckily he could see the town in the distance, perhaps a couple of miles. The closer he got to it the better, but his fuel was running dangerously low, and the plane was threatening to stop all together. When he could take the jostling no longer, he moved the plane to a stop and prepared to get out and walk.

After sitting for so long in the cockpit, his legs felt weak and wobbly. He jumped down to the grass, his big boots thudding loudly and making his landing seem a lot harder than it actually was. He grabbed his sword and slung it over his back, making sure it was in good reaching distance in case he needed it. Then he locked the Bronco up, and started toward his hometown with heavy steps.

Every time Cloud set foot in Nibelheim, it felt worse. The place looked exactly the same, which was what unnerved him the most. Each time, he got more of a feeling that the town was made of plastic, refusing to change in look, smell, feel. Even the people seemed fake. He had grown up there—he knew he had—but the fact that all the people he'd known since the day he was born did not recognize him at all made Nibelheim something of a ghost town for Cloud. The only thing that was definitely real… was the mansion.

It stood in all its former glory, rotting away in some places but still retaining that air of elegance and finery it had always had. Cloud stood at the open pathway that looked over the mansion where the Town Circle stopped. The old wood and overgrown weeds mocked him, telling him stories of not only his own past, but of others' as well.

He didn't want to think about what went on behind those doors, mostly because it included pain for him, and for nearly every person he'd ever loved. Those walls had seen more of him than anyone else had. They'd seen more of Zack. They'd seen more of Sephiroth. They'd seen more of Vincent.

With that thought haunting his mind, Cloud turned sharply and headed for the general store, trying to be casually secretive about his feelings of hate for his surroundings. He addressed the storekeeper coolly, letting on nothing about who he was or why he was in town. He simply bought what he needed, which included a few supplies and gallons and gallons of fuel for the Bronco, and then he left, trying to keep his back turned on everyone he passed.

He was just about to come to the town entrance, wheeling the fuel behind him on a small cart the storekeeper had provided, when a flash to his left caught his eye. He stopped and looked, narrowing his eyes a little to see clearer, but nothing moved. Shrugging it off, he started walking again. Another flash, this time from his right. He whipped his head around, squinting as he turned toward the bright sun. Something moved swiftly in the shadows, heading back toward the village. Cloud wanted to ignore it, wanted to tell himself he didn't care if there was something dangerous loose in the town, but he just couldn't. His instincts were telling him something was terribly wrong, and whatever was moving about was extremely dangerous. With an angry growl, he tucked his cart between a couple of buildings and hoped no one would steal anything from it, and turned swiftly to follow the movement, hand on the hilt of his sword.

He had no idea what he was doing. A few townspeople stared at him before shying away at the sight of the humungous sword on his back, but he kept moving. More flashes, reflective in nature—something shiny and metallic that was glinting in the sunlight—came from between the buildings, moving swiftly toward the back of the town. Cloud grimaced as he followed them, knowing exactly where whatever it was, was heading. The mansion was not only a vault of bad memories, but it was a breeding ground for evil that attracted the nastiest of creatures. He briefly wondered why the people who lived here didn't just knock it down. It would save a lot of trouble.

When he got to the mansion's front courtyard, there was nothing in sight, but the door that was previously closed was swinging a little on its hinges. Forcing back a shudder, Cloud opened the gate and walked down the path, unsheathing his sword as he went. A small breeze blew by and pushed the door open a little more, revealing nothing but dark. Cloud grimaced as he stood at the foot of the steps. This was not on his list of things he most loved to do.

He held his sword at the ready, using it to push the door open more. When he stepped into the darkness he had to bat away a cobweb that got stuck on his hair. The front room was silent save for the floorboards creaking under his slow footsteps. Anticipation welled in him, the dam on his mind wavering as he tried to block the flood of memories that attacked him. He kept a sharp eye for any movement, from whatever he was pursuing or from any other beasties that might be in the huge building.

His eyes were starting to adjust. The large window over the stairs provided little light because it was so dusty and dirty, but it provided enough that Cloud could see where he was going now. He also had the benefits of mako vision on his side. He stepped carefully, avoiding debris and holes in the floor. The first story of the mansion was massive, as was the second and underground portions, and Cloud didn't have a clue where to go. He got to the middle of the front room and stood still, trying to just listen. The mansion was creaky and could sound like it was falling down if a breeze blew the wrong way. Cloud listened, feeling foolish for rushing in so quickly and probably scaring a whole lot of people when there wasn't really anything going on. Maybe he had been seeing things. After another minute he turned to go but—

What was that?

Cloud whirled around, looking around for the sound he had heard. It was a very distinct footstep. He looked around the first floor, seeing nothing…

…Until he looked up.

There, on the balcony leading to the second floor, right in the center as though about to give a speech, stood someone Cloud thought he would never see again.

"Sephiroth…" he whispered, not sure if he was completely awestruck or completely terrified.

"Hello Cloud," a smooth, deep voice cooed.

Cloud took a moment to regain his sense of reality. He grit his teeth and raised his sword, giving the Silver Soldier a hard look. "What are you doing here?"

"Now, Cloud," Sephiroth said, fluidly swiping a hand over the banister in front of him, caressing the rotten wood like a lover would his partner. "That's not a very nice way to greet such an old friend."

"Forgive me for not organizing a welcome-back parade," Cloud sneered at his enemy. "Tell me how you're here."

Sephiroth's manner was mockingly casual. "I'm here on behalf of someone you know." He looked at Cloud, his eyes smirking. "And I missed you."

"That doesn't answer my question. I killed you."

"Yes, multiple times," Sephiroth said quickly, not missing a beat. "It's hard to forget."

Cloud didn't know what to do with himself. He was already trying to think of a way to get the upper hand on the situation, but it was extremely difficult because Sephiroth was above him, out of attack range. He had the advantage over Cloud, and he probably knew it. So Cloud kept talking, buying time. "_How_ are you here? _How_ did you come back?"

Sephiroth smirked evilly. "I am here, because of you."

"That makes no sense!" Cloud growled, hating the confusion Sephiroth always brought on. "I didn't bring you back!"

The former General held up one deceivingly delicate finger. "Ah, I didn't say that. I said I am here because of you."

Cloud growled. "Can't you give one straight-forward answer?"

"You should know my affinity for being cryptic… much like someone else near and dear to your heart."

That got Cloud's attention. "You're not alone?" For some reason, Zack was his first thought. In life, Sephiroth and Zack had been inseparable. Best friends to the end.

Sephiroth's lips curled. "I have not been alone, no. Your wonderful lover has been so kind as to keep me company."

Cloud nearly dropped his sword. "What…?" he said, a little breathless. "V-Vincent?"

Sephiroth saw his moment and started off to his left to descend the staircase, since the right one was smashed in the middle. "Why yes, he's been quite a nice companion."

Cloud's head was suddenly spinning and he let his arm fall, the tip of his heavy sword dropping to the floor loudly. "Vincent… he's with _you_?" Memories filled his head, pictures and sounds from the day Vincent left. _Cheating… with Sephiroth… _All the times he'd woken up broken and disoriented and naked and in pain… "You've been here the whole time, haven't you?" he finally shouted, jumping as he realized Sephiroth was right in front of him. He quickly raised his sword again, the mako in his eyes blazing with his anger. "_You_ ruined _everything_!"

Sephiroth's casualness didn't waver. "You made it impossibly easy."

Cloud stared hard at the taller man, questions floating around in his mind. "…Why?" he asked, a little quieter but just as harshly.

"Revenge, my love."

"Don't call me that," Cloud spat. Sephiroth just gave a slow smile. Cloud raised his sword a little more, preparing to strike. Sephiroth held up a hand.

"Now, now, Cloud. I am unarmed. This certainly isn't a fair fight."

"Bullshit," Cloud growled. "I know what you can do even without a weapon."

Sephiroth smirked again. "I did not come here to fight you. I came to deliver a message."

Cloud narrowed his eyes, but said nothing, and didn't lower his sword.

The humor in Sephiroth's voice was far too unconcealed. "Vincent bade me give you the message… that this journey you're on is pointless. The reason you have not found him is because he does not wish to be found."

Cloud's grip tightened on his sword. "That's not true! You're lying!"

"No," Sephiroth said, still much too amused. "He does not love you anymore, Cloud. He told me himself. He wishes you never found him in this mansion. And he doesn't ever want to see you… again."

Cloud lunged, fueled by rage and something stronger. Denial, perhaps. Vincent would never say those things. "You're lying!" he screamed, rushing at Sephiroth and expecting to run him through. But the man suddenly disappeared, and Cloud ran straight into the dead wood of the door behind where Sephiroth was standing, hot tears sliding down his cheeks. He fell to his knees, his body shaking with emotion. His sword stuck out of the wood from where he had pushed it through. A laugh echoed through the room.

"You can't defeat me, Cloud, especially not that easily."

"Tell me you're lying!" Cloud said, feeling like he was talking to a ghost in more ways than one.

"I do not lie," Sephiroth's voice said. It seemed to come from everywhere.

Cloud crumpled over himself, arms folded as he fell into a fetal position on his knees.

"I shall see you again, my love. Count on it." And with that, Cloud was left to nothing but the sound of his own shaky breaths and nearly silent sobs.


End file.
